Let Your Light Shine

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. Matthew 5.16.

When we children became adults and responsible persons, our aim was to do things that made our father proud. A long time ago, I was a young medical doctor working in a Mission Hospital in Kerala, S. India. We used to get a steady stream of Christians coming for medical treatment. When they knew that I was the eldest son of Mr. P.V. George, one of the well-known Christian leaders, their faces shone with pride. I was the first medical graduate from our churches and that added to their joy. They would speak often in a gratifying way to my father that I took interest in them and treated them well. It made my father happy and proud too!

Often when people meet elderly persons, they tend to ask, “How are your children?” They expect the children to have achieved something in life and be doing good to others. When they do so, children bring credit, glory and honour to the parents. King Solomon once said, “the glory of sons is their fathers” (Prov 17.6 NASB). The glory of the fathers is their sons and daughters!

Meditating on the Lord’s command to us, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”, I thought to myself: “Isn’t our heavenly father just like us, earthly parents?” Like us, He too expects you and I “to do good deeds to men!” For it causes people to give Him praise.

Sadly, many Christians are leading careless lives and doing things that bring discredit to their Father in heaven.

Dear believer, how about you? Are you diligently doing things that will glorify your Heavenly Father and make Him proud of you? You come across people everyday in whatever you are doing. Are you using the opportunities to do good as often you can to as many as possible? Remember, it will make your earthly father proud, but much more than that, it will glorify your Father in heaven. Do it!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, help me to be always mindful of doing good to everyone around me so that they will thank and praise You for me. Amen.