Do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand, and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven” – Matthew 5:15-16
One of the best ways we can be used by God is by simply being ourselves. The identity Jesus has given us as His children is meant to shine forth and be a witness to those around us.
Jesus’s teaching on salt and light in the Sermon on the Mount is one of my favorite passages of Scripture where He related to sharing the heart of God with the world around us.
In Matthew 5:13-15 Jesus taught,
I think one of the most powerful aspects of this passage is how Jesus speaks identity over us. God doesn’t tell us to go get some salt and share it. He says we are salt. He doesn’t tell us to go get light and shine it. He says we are light.
Sharing God’s heart is a part of who we are. As children of God, we have been redeemed -washed clean, that we might proclaim the excellencies of our Savior by living in line with our new identity.
The world is a dark place. It is without hope. It is filled with the blind leading the blind and the needy seeking fulfilment from the needy. Our only hope is Jesus. With the One, true guide being the Holy Spirit.
We are called to a lifestyle of expelling darkness around us with the powerful proclamation of God’s heart to love, provide for, and redeem all those who would simply say yes to Him. We are called to respond to Jesus’s call and stop putting a basket over the light He has placed within us.
We shouldn’t have to be apologetic for the hope we have. We shouldn’t have to fear the opinion of man. We should love relentlessly, offer grace unexpectantly, and sacrifice ourselves so that others might see a glimpse of God’s heart.
We shouldn’t cover up who we are in Jesus. We should seek to reveal God’s heart in all we do. And watch as the world around us is drawn to the light of God’s unconditional love revealed through our lives.
Here’s an easy outline:
From Pity to Praise 