Shine

April, 2008

by: Joseph Molinari

By Joseph Molinari

Men, how brightly do you shine? Scripture exhorts us to let our “…light shine before men in such a way that they may see [our] good works, and glorify [our] Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Considering that our purpose in life, according to Isaiah 42:7, is to bring glory to God and 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us to “do all to the glory of God,” bringing glory to God should be our ultimate goal.

There is, however, a secondary purpose for us to shine. We need to consider to whom we shine here on earth. Our first thoughts probably sway to the unbelievers. We pray that they observe in us good and unique behavior that goes against the flow of the rest of the world…that we are not conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). How awesome it is when fellow coworkers or neighbors see us living a life due to the work of Christ on the cross! An old Newsboys’ song encourages us to shine so that we “make them wonder what we’ve got.” Let us shine for the unsaved of the world with a joyful disposition, an absence of grumbling or complaining, and a desire to help whenever possible.

But is that all? Husbands, consider your wives. We are to love them as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25), sacrificially putting them above ourselves. We must love them enough to do what is best for them and what is right before the Lord, consistently and without complaint. Ponder the potential results. Wives are called to submit to their husbands as to the Lord (Ephesians 5:24). How much easier would it be for them to fulfill their duties and to do so joyfully if we shined brighter and brighter in our own roles? Of course, husbands and wives are called to carry out their God-given responsibilities regardless of what the other is doing. So, husbands, we need to shine on and on and give our wives a greater glimpse of Christ through us each day. Let us increase our wives desire to submit to us, by leading them with Christ-like behavior and conviction! Let us shine for our wives.

Dads, how about our children? We are to be training them nonstop. That doesn’t just mean bombarding them with the Scriptures and devotions and leaving it at that. Though those efforts are highly important, our children are watching what we do far more than listening to what we say. If we want them to walk the righteous path, we need to live it out so that they follow our example. We need to shine for our children. We can teach them what the Bible says about lying, and we can discipline them when we catch them doing it. However, if when the phone rings, we tell our wives or children to tell the person on the other end that we are not home, our light of truthfulness gets snuffed out. We need to shine because our children are watching. We need to shine so that our children will be more curious about Christ than about Gameboys, Star Wars, Legos, and, yes, even baseball.

Lastly, if you wish to be a true and valuable brother to fellow Christian men, let alone be a discipler, you cannot expect to succeed without reflecting the righteousness of Christ. You must shine so that others will see your work and behavior and seek you out. The fruit you bear will dictate whether the brethren perceive you as someone they can trust, go to for accountability, or seek out for Biblical counsel. A dim light is ineffective for such a calling. Shine for your church family.

Shining before men is a constant charge. We must “…prove [ourselves] to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom [we] appear as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:15). As hard as it is to keep the glow going without ceasing, we must consciously strive to be lights, making everyone around us take notice, and bringing glory to God.

How brightly must we shine before men? Make ‘em squint.