The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Children of Light"
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Note the Lord Jesus Christ distinguishes our "light" from our "good works." This coincides with I Corinthians 13, wherein the Apostle Paul declares our doings must flow from the fount of God's love in order be genuine and pleasing to God (including even martyrdom - I Corinthians 13:3).
Our light, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ. "I am the light of the world. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). Believers are also lights, in the sense of being the lamps of His bright and brilliant illumination. "Ye are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Our Lord purposes that we shine with Himself not only in what we do, but in how we do it. Our countenance, demeanor, attitude, and expression matter to Him as much as the works they should accompany. This leads us to the Scriptures for discovery of God's character and His conduct, both of which must shine through us as we seek to reflect well upon Him. "Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us" (Ephesians 5:2).
We must also give ourselves to consistent prayer regarding this high calling. You may share my sense that our Heavenly Father makes this a matter of great emphasis in our personal walk with Him (He is making that emphasis in my heart right now as I write these words). The Holy Spirit seems to convict me as much or more regarding "How?" and "Why?" as He does "What?" I suspect this is due to how easily we can cast a false light if we do what seems to be the right thing, but with a wrong motive, attitude, tone, and demeanor. As the Lord Jesus said, our light must shine if our good works are to glorify our Heavenly Father.
The Psalmist well knew this truth.
"Search me, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).
The internals must be in line with God's character and nature if the externals are to reflect and honor Him. This necessitates a powerful working within us to illuminate with the light of Christ so that He radiates not only in our behavior, but in our bearing. The Word of God calls us to such a life. The Spirit of God leads and enables us as we trust and submit ourselves to "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."
(Ephesians 5:8)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world."
(Acts 15:18)
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