Hans Sangtoki Bible Reading: Luke 8:16-18
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” (Luke 8:16)
If God has revealed to us the truth of His Word, if we know the salvation that is in Him, we cannot stay silent and keep this message to ourselves. Our friends, family, and those around us need to hear the Word. God has placed us around them for a reason. Even more so, our lights should shine to the whole world. We must reach out to even more people, to the ends of the earth.
Shining the truth means that we must live out what we believe outwardly so that others can see. It is easy to confess to God privately that we will follow Him. However, it is harder to stand our ground in front of our friends and peers who might be unbelievers. Shining the truth is not only a matter of telling others that Jesus died for them. It means living out what we believe, every bit of it—shining the truth means speaking out about holiness and what it means to be holy. It means sharing with those around us the deep and all-encompassing truth of Scripture that we believe in.
If we do not shine, we are like the servant who hid his one talent in the ground. If we do not shine, we have not been responsible for the truth that God has given to us. The truth that God has revealed to us in secret must not be buried. It must be made manifest to the world, and the closest example of that is our own circle of friends.
Are we the same person in secret and in front of our peers? We cannot only claim to follow God in secret and yet live and agree with worldly ways in front of other people. To be a Christian means to follow God with every second of our lives. It calls for integrity in all aspects of our lives.
There is no point in being very pious and religious in church and around church people when we aren’t the same around our school friends. We have to learn to be followers of Christ everywhere. We must learn to stand boldly in front of the world. Then, maybe, Matthew 5:11-12 might apply for us, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Lord, please teach us to be lights in this world that shine brightly in Your truth. Help us to follow You with our whole lives and be the same person everywhere. Help us to be Your witnesses and serve You everywhere we are. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.