Shine Your Light

Meditation Monday: My Journey Through the Sermon on the Mount

{Matthew 5:14-16}
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”



While working at a public school, I had started a prayer group that met before school once a week to pray for our coworkers, students, community, etc. I had asked another teacher to join because I knew he was a Christian. He responded he wasn’t sure if he would and said “I never tell people I’m a Christian, that way, if I mess up, it doesn’t make God look bad.”

As I’ve been studying through the Sermon on the Mount and thinking about what it means to be salt and light, I can’t help but realize in these passages Jesus says:

You are the salt of the earth . . .
You are the light of the world . . .

As Christians, we get no choice to be salt or light, we are. The only choice we have is whether our salt will be savory or tasteless; whether we hide our lights or shine.

There’s no choice in being salt & light, there’s only duty . . . delightful duty to share who we are and whose we are.

To sprinkle and shine Christ.

We don’t need to hide our lights from others. It is this light that illuminates and helps guide them through darkness. We do however need to make sure our light isn’t dim and doesn’t flicker.

Perhaps that’s why Jesus words here tell us to shine, to go out and tell AND to make sure our deeds reflect what we say. Our lives should shine as much light as our words. We are to preach Christ to people in word and deed.

If we mingle with darkness, walk in the ways of the world, how can we help others see their way out? Our light is no brighter than theirs!

If we hide our lights, if we’re too afraid to share, how will others ever see? Imagine being in a dark room and trying to help others find their way out, holding your flashlight and never using it! What good is that? How is keeping your light hidden helping others see Christ and His way of life . . . the path that leads to fullness of JOY? (Psalm 16:11)



Don’t you see why it’s so important to “flesh out” our message to the world? Others are walking in pain, darkness, sin, destruction, and death and we have the lamp to light the path to the Way out.

Go! Shine! Live brightly that others might see . . . see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Tips for Sharing Your Faith

{Sharing Your Faith Starts in the Most Unexpected Place}

Sharing your faith can be terrifying, for many reasons: you don’t know how, you don’t know why, you feel inadequate, you feel incompetent, you feel guilty because you know you’re “supposed” to, etc.

I think when we understand why sharing our faith is so important, it makes it easier for us to know how to share our faith.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Apart from Christ, people have no chance at spending eternity in heaven with the Father. They will remain far off, in broken relationship, without hope. If we don’t share, they can’t hear. If they don’t hear, they can’t believe. If they don’t believe, there’s NO hope (Romans 10).

Sharing brings hope.

So how do we offer hope??
I don’t think sharing your faith starts with knowing “5 points of Evangelism” or an index card with good questions or any other list of “how to’s”. Those are helpful along the way, but not a starting place. So where do we start? What do we do?

#1) Be Compassionate
I think the place to start when sharing your faith is a place of brokenness, a place of compassion. Sharing your faith starts with a broken heart.

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

Jesus looked on people with compassion. He was out teaching and proclaiming the gospel . . . with compassion. He hurt as He healed. That is where sharing starts. We are to feel mercy for the lost and love them so much that we look past our fears, to offer them hope.

#2) Pray Intentionally
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak." (Colossians 4:2-4)

We are to actively seek out opportunities through prayer to share Christ. The gospel is a message that must be spoken, it’s good news that must be announced! We must pray for open doors and for boldness and clarity when we speak.

#3) Live Authentically
"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5-6)

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[b] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-14)

We are to live in a way that is authentic and honest. Our lives should bring credibility to the gospel and glorify the LORD. Our lives should be what attract's people to the gospel the most.

#4) Know Your Bible
"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15)

We are to be people who know our bibles. The reliability of the bible, the story of redemption in the bible, places to take people to see the beautiful work of Christ and Christ crucified. We need to be fluent in our bibles to be able to explain to people what we believe.

#5) Preach it!
"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:3-7)

Share your story of how you were once foolish, disobedient, and far off. Then share the message of the gospel, the good news, that Jesus died so that we may live! Share about His forgiveness of sin and His power to redeem.

Sharing your faith is NOT always easy, but hopefully these tips will help you to reach out to others the same way Christ reached down for us.

See compassionately.
Pray intentionally.
Live authentically.
Speak knowledgeably.
Preach boldly.

Beautiful Feet

“As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:15)

How often do we gather with others to talk about the gospel? Study the gospel? Learn how to share the gospel? How often do we get our feet dirty, walk outside, and share the gospel?

What good is it to know all about the gospel and never share it? Can we really KNOW the gospel without making Him KNOWN? If we truly know the gospel and have experienced God’s redeeming love, we can’t help but share the good news.

As we passionately pursue God, we should passionately pursue opportunities to share the good news. Sharing the simple truth: He died that we might live. Sharing our story of how we were grafted in. Inviting others to share in our Kingdom inheritance.

Our feet are beautiful when we go. Go and share. Go and make disciples. In your front yard. In the lunch room. At the dinner table.

Walk across. Enter in. Name Him where He hasn’t been named. Get your feet dirty. Beautiful.


"Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38)