Devotionals

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Let Your Light Shine!
© 2006
by

Stephen A. Peterson


One of the mottos of the United States Army is: “Train more today bleed less in battle”. Recently while on a mission in Iraq, a section of an Army Transportation unit made a wrong turn on a road. The wrong turn cost the unit nearly an hour and a half of time, barely making it to the base camp due to a lack of fuel and late in bring in desperately needed ammunition and water. Soldiers in the Transportation unit decided to get back on the right track by using their compass and lighting up their vehicle though they knew they were in enemy territory. The lights increased the section’s visibility and made it possible to be seen by the main body of their unit and get back on the right track to accomplish their mission though late. Though the American media and some foreign media consistently and constantly sell the public that the American military is brutal and incompetent, this short story indicates otherwise.

This incident also reminds me of Christ’s parable regarding witness to our non-Christian brothers and sisters wherever they may be. Researching the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, I found they all recorded Jesus’ admonition not to hide our “light” under a bushel basket (meaning also under a bed, closet, vessel or even a truck). Luke, however, takes Jesus’ admonition one step further.

“A city that is set on a hill, cannot be hid or concealed,” Luke quotes Christ. " Neither do men light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a candlestick; nor does it give light to everyone that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.”

In this day and age, Christ and Christianity are being constantly and consistently attacked. Those who initiate these attacks do so with the belief that Christians will do nothing. However, when Christians work together, each according to their talents and abilities, they increase their candlepower and their ability to dispel even the most vocal and well-financed anti-Christian groups. Why is this? Because we have Jesus’ promise to be with us always, truth and goodness in spite of the evil works and words of the few. Like the lost soldiers in the deserts of Iraq, pooling their resources and talents (one well trained in the use of a compass, a skilled vehicle driver, and one savvy enough to light up the vehicle in the face of danger and uncertainty), Christians in 2007, need to cooperatively raise their lights in order to right wrongs everywhere it exists, stand up and tell everyone the Gospel, as well as face up to those who would try to keep Christ out of the public square and everyday life and glorify Him by word, action and deed to expose the Light of the World—Jesus Christ.

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