Shine As Lights # 1

Shine As Lights # 1

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

"That you may be blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:15).

"That they will adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in every respect" (Titus 2:10).

Around the coast of Great Britain and Ireland are found more than 200 light-houses. They are so placed that while ships are within ten to fifteen miles of shore one or more of them may usually be seen; so that guidance is afforded to ships that need it, and many a vessel is thereby saved from the rock and the quicksand, and brought safely into the desired haven.

It were well if Christian people in a similar way were fulfilling their office to be as lights in the world. It were well if nowhere in our country could a man's lot be cast - but some earnest, devoted servant of the Lord were to be found not far distant; so that by the light of a holy example, or a word of friendly counsel, he might be warned in the hour of danger, and guided into the safe harbor of salvation by Christ.

Shine as lights in the world! It is the plain command of Christ that you should do so. Carry a bright and clear light, so that all around may see it. Do not "hide it under bushel" of timidity, of sloth, of self-indulgence, of worldly-mindedness - but hold it up aloft. Let it be like the light from the lighthouse, firmly resting on the solid rock beneath; so let your soul be resting on the firm foundation of a true faith in the word and work of Christ - trusting only in the name and merit and mediation of God's dear Son. Hold forth the light, that numbers of life's wearied voyagers, tossed hither and thither over the dark and surging billows, may see it and be saved, and rejoice forever in the help which you have afforded them.

No subject can outweigh in importance, this matter of light-bearing. Holy, devoted, self-denying lives, springing from the principle of a living faith - are the very glory of Christianity.

May the good Spirit of our God guide our thoughts and meditations! May we be determined, by God's grace, more than ever to give ourselves to the service of God, and to let our light so shine before men, that they may glorify our Father who is in Heaven.

Let it be forever imprinted on our remembrance, how greatly the holiness of Christian people concerns the glory of God and the welfare of His Church.

We Christians are representatives on earth, of a living, exalted, glorified Saviour. When Christ dwelt here below, He said of Himself, "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." He has now gone back to the Father's house to prepare our home, and to intercede on our behalf - but He has left His servants to take His place, and to do His work on earth. "You are the light of the world," He declares. By a holy, consistent walk, you are to show forth to sinners around, something of the Christ you love and obey.

True, you can give comparatively but a feeble light. What is a candle compared to the noonday sun? Still less is your light compared to that of Christ. Nevertheless it is not in vain. You may adorn the doctrine of the Gospel; you may let men see something of its mighty efficacy in raising you above selfishness and sin; you may manifest something of the fair beauty of the Saviour's image.

This is that which is most needed to convince men of the truth of the Gospel. We should pray indeed that God would raise up men fitted to answer the daring and skillful assaults made upon the authority of Holy Scripture and the doctrines of Christianity. But the best books, and the most eloquent sermons - are holy, loving Christians - copies of Christ, spending their lives in doing good, and making even the enemies of the Gospel inquire as to the power for good which they possess.

At Tripoli, the son of a Syrian woman embraced the truth of the gospel and was baptized. But the mother was very bigoted, and refused to listen to a word he said. She could not, however, but notice how kind and dutiful he became after his conversion. This led her to consider whether or no the Bible was true; and she, too, at length believed in Christ. She said to herself, "A religion which makes my son so dutiful and kind, cannot be a bad one." She lives from that time as a true Christian, and died with a note of praise upon her lips.

~George Everard~

(continued with # 2)