You may have read this title and thought, "what does it even mean to be a light?". Well, in my mind, being a "light" is being so on fire for God that it is evident that you follow Christ and that this is your main priority. Being a light is making it known that you have something within you that's different... something that only the presence of God can fill us with. Some Christians love Jesus so much, and they want so badly to make it obvious and to share it with others without coming off as pushy. Being a light is the perfect way to do this. See, when we act different than other people, we draw attention to ourselves. People wonder why we're so happy, or loving, or whatever it may be. Sometimes all it takes to get people curious about God's love is how his people live their lives. Happy. So, here are some ways that, I have found, help us to be a light.
1. Be Happy
You guys all knew this one was coming. Everyone, no matter how strong their relationship with Jesus is, has bad days. Everyone has their own share of problems. But, as God's children, we have to learn how to handle them in a way that Jesus would handle hardships. We can't walk around miserable and grouchy because we do indeed have an obligation to shine our light. When people can see, that no matter what we're going through, we are happy and content... this is such an eyeopener. As Christians, most of us believe that everything that happens to us is part of a bigger plan. Even though we don't always understand it, we believe that it has a purpose. Whether to strengthen our faith, test us, grow us, whatever it may be. This is why we have to put our actions in alignment with this belief. No matter what is going on in our lives, remaining positive is such a key part to making sure our lights shine bright for Christ.
2. Be Humble
Being humble is so important to me. When I was younger, my uncle opened my eyes about how much it says about a person when you see the way they handle their success, and ever since that seed was planted in me, it has only grown. No matter what you're good at, whether it's sports, academics, your job, anything... be humble about it. Because as believers, we know that our gifts come from God. Without Him, we are nothing. Without Him, we wouldn't be here. Therefore, our talents and skills belong to Him. Since they aren't ours to begin with, we shouldn't brag about them. Of course, we work hard to be good at things to better ourselves. We just can't forget to remember that without God we aren't anything... so we owe Him everything. Honor Him in everything you do, and your light will radiate.
3. Live a Different Lifestyle
This one is hard for a lot of people, including myself. It's very hard not to do what everyone else is doing, because let's face it, no one wants to feel left out or look like the odd man out. But people, this is exactly what Jesus wants from us. He wants us to be leaders, not followers. He wants us to break the mold, not to conform to it. If you truly want to be a light, you can't just act like everyone else. That doesn't set you apart. This could be a variety of things... and I'm sure you all have something that comes to mind while reading this. Can you do certain "wrong" things and still love Jesus? I believe you can. 100%. But, when we're talking about being a light for God daily... we must be different, or at least put forth that effort. Standing out in this way is one of the best ways to be acknowledged as God's children.
4. Be a Servant
We should always be willing to serve, and to help others. I know, we have our own lives and we get tired and busy... but helping others and being generous is so vital in being a light. Our God is a generous God, and we should try our best to copy that. If a friend or family member needs something, help them out. If you see a homeless man, give him some food. If you see someone struggling to carry their groceries, help them carry. It doesn't have to be big things, guys. Just help when you can, and try your best not to ignore a chance to serve.
5. Love Everyone
Yes... everyone. I know. I think we all have people who get on our nerves, and people we really don't want to hang out with... and in my opinion, that's okay. I believe the important part is that we still show them love. We are there for them when they need something, and we pray for them when they need it... even if they don't ask. Love is the most important of all, and God shows us that. He loves literally every single one of us. Everyone reading this, everyone in the whole entire world. That's so crazy to me to think about sometimes because their are horrible people in this world, and God loves them so much. Because of this, we should do the same. Nothing will shine our lights more than showing love to every person we encounter. This is hard sometimes, trust me I know. But, love is everything. Love is how we draw people in closer to Jesus. Love overcomes so much! It was God's love for us that caused Him to send His only son to die for us. If we can't show love to others, we aren't walking through life the Christian way.
Remember, these are all just my beliefs on how we can shine our light, I'm sure I will miss many, and I'm sure some may not be as important to everyone as they are to me. This is okay. Everyone has their own way that they shine their light. What is important, is just that we try our best to do something every day to exhibit to others the love that God has placed inside of us for others. While I fail at these daily, I try. I think as long as we're trying for God daily, He's pretty impressed. Let's all be a light! The more lights that shine, the brighter and clearer God's love will be shown around the world.
