April 23

Let Your Light Shine

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. — Matt 5:14 BSB

Every true Christian is a candle shining in this dark world. The Bible says that the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. Before we are regenerated, we are like unlit candles. We were made in God’s image, but sin has extinguished the flame, leaving only a faint spark. A thousand unlit candles in a dark room wouldn’t give any light. But when we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit touches our hearts with the divine flame, and we begin to shine. Every believer becomes a candle of the Lord.

We must remember that we can’t shine by ourselves. Our light comes only from the life of Christ within us. We are called to let our light shine, which means keeping our wicks trimmed so that the flame is always bright, and keeping the windows of our lives clean so that the light can shine out without obstruction. We also need reserves of oil to keep our lamps burning—this means living in constant communion with Christ, drawing from His fullness.

Each one of us, in our own place, is called to give light to others and make the world around us brighter with love and grace. A lighthouse may send beams far out to sea, but it doesn’t light up the space around its base. Some people send light to far-off places, like supporting foreign missions, but fail to brighten their own homes and the lives of those around them. We shouldn’t be like those lights. While we send light as far as we can, we should also make sure to bring blessing to those closest to us.