You are the light of the world!

Matthew 5:14-16

14 ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Last time we discovered that we were are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Now we are reading about Jesus telling us that we are the light of the world.  Ask yourself: What’s so important about light?  What does light do?  How can I be a light?

Simply put, we need light in order to see clearly.  We need light so we know that we are on the right path.  We need light so we can keep from stumbling and falling.  Light can brings clarity from confusion.  We can be lights by working wonders in the word through our displays of love, respect, knowledge, consideration of others, and teaching the world about God.  We can be the lights of God.

Verse 14 states that a city on a hill cannot be hidden.  When I drive towards downtown Atlanta at night and see the bright skyline, I know it is impossible for all that light to be hidden.  It is like trying to put a curtain over Times Square in New York City or a veil over Las Vegas.  The light is much too brilliant; too blinding!  So is the light that God put in you.  When the world sees you, they see the light that God put in you.  This light radiates from you because of the way you conduct yourself and how you treat people.  Your smile is like a flash of light in the darkness; like lightning in the midnight sky.  You bring illumination into every place that you enter.  The goodness of God is pulsating through you.

Jesus says that people do not light a lamp and then hide it under a basket.  It is absurd to cover a burning flame!  To cover a light defeats the purpose of the light shining.  God put a light in you.  To not let it shine goes against your very purpose for living.  It makes no sense.  Putting a lamp under a basket is the equivalent to wasting your talents, not putting forth your best effort, not treating others like you want to be treated, or not loving yourself.

Jesus tells us that a lamp should be put on a stand in order to give light to everyone in the house.  This means that you are to be a light to everyone around you.  Where ever you go, people should benefit from your presence.  You should warm their hearts and give light to their world with your kind words, pleasant attitude, good deeds, and loving actions.  People should see the light in you as clearly as the sun in the sky.  It should not be necessary to announce that you are a Christian, that you are saved, or that you are a child of God.  It should be noticed automatically by those around you because everything about your demeanor is divinely shining.  People should be drawn to you even if they can’t put their finger on what it is that makes you so different.  This magnetism is what opens the door for you to tell them about the God that shines through you. 

Jesus says, in the same way a lamp shines, let your light shine so everyone can see the great things you accomplish so that they can praise God in heaven.  People should be moved by your love, your deeds, your life, your kindness, your compassion, your forgiveness, and your talents that they praise God!  They will see God in you.  They will bear witness to the miracle of you and realize that it is God who made them too.  They will know that if God can use you as a vessel, they can be used too!

You are the light of the world.  Let your light shine so bright that you will help destroy the darkness in others.  Shine so fiercely that your influence will touch the lives of many and provoke a spiritual revolution.

It is easy to fumble around in darkness and conform to chaos.  It takes no effort to become lost.  Be the light that the Christ tells you are and help extinguish the darkness of negativity, poverty, apathy, hatred, hopelessness, faithlessness, violence, and grief.

Be the light of the world and shine, shine, shine!

You are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

Psalms 139:13-14

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.

Sometimes it is good to sit back and reflect on the reasons why we praise God.  Some people praise God for money, friends, possessions, family, careers, love, etc.  Why do you praise God?

One great reason to praise God is the simple fact that God made you and that each of us is a work of art.  You are special and splendid just as you are.  Magnificent and unique!  One of a kind! Do you know that you are an original?  There is only one of you in the entire world and there has never been anyone like you nor will there be another you in the future.  Give praise to God for the miracle of your life, for creating you, for giving you a chance to impact the world your presence, for giving you a chance to live a life reflecting the light and love of God.  Every day I want you to remind yourself that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. 

The psalmist says, “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”  This means that you were intricately put together.  Do you fully comprehend what intricately means?  It means that every piece of you was masterfully designed.  It means that God intentionally formed you just the way you are.  God personally engineered your blueprint before you were even born.  God made you “YOU” while were a mere zygote, a cell developing and dividing in your mother’s womb.  God gave you your laugh, attitude, sense of humor, talents, looks, brilliant mind, idiosyncrasies, awkwardness, charm, and personality.  You were not a mistake or a fluke of nature.  You are a human being composed of flesh and spirit made with purpose and promise.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your life matters.  You are living for a reason.  Your body is God’s art.  It is meant to be used for praising God, helping others, and housing your spirit.  Your body is God’s gift to your soul.  Be careful not to abuse it.  Take care of your gift.  Don’t kill it with junk food, drugs and alcohol, damaging sexual practices, or physical/emotional abuse.  You are to be respected and loved.  God loved you enough to make you.  Love yourself enough to take care of you.  Know that your body was not made to be abused by others.  Your body is your own and no one has the right to harm it.  Every part of you is important because you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

The Word says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  Do you know what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made?  It means that you were created to provoke wonder, awe, supreme admiration.

What better reason do you need to praise God?  God made you beautiful, strong, full of abilities, and with fine character.  Look at your hands, your skin, your body.  Go to a mirror and look at your hair, your eyes, your nose, your smile.  You were fearfully and wonderfully made.  God made you wonderful just the way you are and you need absolutely nothing more than what you were born with.  Your attractiveness is unique and incomparable.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Behold yourself and try to see yourself as God sees you.  You don’t need fancy clothes or different hair or a million dollars or something that belongs to someone else to be better.  You have everything you need within yourself to accomplish your goals, hopes, and dreams.  If you truly understand the care God took to make you, you can do anything you put your mind to.

Praise God for making you because wonderful is God’s works.  Remember the words of the great Rev. Jesse Jackson, “I am somebody because God don’t make no junk!”  You were made in the image of God.  “So God created humankind (adam) in his image, in the image of God he created them (him); male and female he created them (Gen.1:27).”  No one is greater than God and you are the child of the Most High God.  What can be greater than that?  Know who you are and who you belong to and your possibilities will be limitless.  Loving yourself makes it easy to love others.  Embrace your unique gifts and strengths.  Know your worth and live worthy lives.  Be your personal best at all times.  Never be ashamed but take pride in who you are because you, extraordinary you, are fearfully and wonderfully made!

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