Signs of What We Love

If someone were to walk into your home, without knowing you well, what would she notice? What evidence of your life would she see? Probably she would see things you hold dear - photos of family, mementos or souvenirs that are special. Think about places you’ve been where the interests, hobbies, or lifestyle of the owners were quickly apparent based on what you observed in their space.

Now multiply that by observing how they live. Not only the things that surround them in their home but the way they interact in various surroundings. How do they treat others? What do they spend time and attention on? How is their language or topics of conversation? We can learn a lot about people by observing them.

I’m a mom to three young children and no matter how hard I try to have a picture perfect home, there are always reminders that small children dwell with me. Handprints on windows, toys under chairs, half-eaten snacks at the kitchen counter. Then there are the pictures of my kids filling frames on the walls, sitting on shelves and side tables. A basket of library books, suspiciously filled with kid-friendly titles.

No one who enters my home would doubt that kids are a big part of my daily life. Neither would a visitor ask if I loved my kids or if they were important to me. It’s obvious from the popsicle stick crafts still drying on the table to the school worksheets spread over the floor. I’m proud of my kids, love my kids, devote my days to them and their growth.

The same should be true of our relationship with God. We could even call it the evidence we are Christians. When we talk about evidence of God in our lives, what are we talking about? What does evidence mean that we would choose that word to describe our relationship?

According to the dictionary, evidence means, ‘To make plain or clear, an indication or sign’. So our relationship with God should be plain for all to see and observe. It shouldn’t be a secret that we are Christians, children of God. It should be clear that how we treat people and respond in situations is tied to our belief in God. Everything about our lives should breathe and show that we know God.

When people observe us, they are witnessing much more than our love of family or a certain pet. Often, they are judging our faith by how we mirror God. Have you ever had an unsaved friend tell you you don’t act like a Christian? Or maybe that they couldn’t believe you were a Christian when they found out. Sometimes this is because their notion of what a Christian looks like is wrong. {Maybe they see all Christians as judgmental prudes that never have fun or delight in anything. So they are surprised when you are joyful or loving.} But sometimes it might be an indication that we have lived so long seeking after the things of the world that we haven’t allowed room for God.

Romans 12:2 is very clear on how a Christian should respond to the world we are dwelling in. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Hebrews mentions that we are pilgrims passing through, that we should recognize this is not our final home and we don’t serve the things of this world. [Hebrews 11:13-16}

When you look at how you respond to things or people, would you say there is a plain and clear sign in your life that you serve God above all else? Let’s hold the mirror up and truly evaluate how those around see us.

Photo by Andre Francois Mckenzie on Unsplash

Shine Your Light

My family went to see a huge display of Christmas lights last week. I love the gentle twinkling that hangs from houses, trees, and bushes this time of year. As we passed under a tree with branches tightly wound with dozens of strands of lights, I looked up and the lights seemed as numerous as the stars.

In Matthew 5:14-16 we read, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

We are told from the beginning that Christians are like a light and like a city on a hill, we are not hidden. Let’s consider this picture for a minute. Have you ever seen a satellite image of the world at night? {If you haven’t, Google ‘world satellite at night’} It’s easy to point out where the cities are compared to the less inhabited places because the cities are glowing! Even from space, they can not be hidden or mistaken for farm land.

This shows that light can not be hidden when surrounded by darkness. Verse 15 points out that when you light a candle, you don’t place it under a basket but rather on a stand where the light can spread to the corners of the house and allow people to see. To be honest, why would you want to hide light and dwell in darkness? The point of having light in the darkness is so you see things - Legos that might hurt your tender feet, a wall you might run into, a person running through the neighborhood. Light allows us to function in dark places that would otherwise trip us up.

The purpose of this analogy is brought to our attention in verse 16. In the same way the light penetrates the darkness, we are to let our Christian witness shine. While the world tells us one thing, we are to follow God and do what he has instructed in the Bible. And when others see these good works we do and notice we are different than the world, ultimately the glory bypasses us and goes to God! Have you ever thought how God uses us - frail, sinful humans that we are - and we are able to give glory to him for all we are able to accomplish?! And others can give glory to God through what he allows us to do!

Have you ever noticed how the darkness is dispersed by just one little bulb? The lights we saw last week numbered in the millions and the night around us was bright enough to read in but even if there had been one light, the darkness would have been changed. Things would have been seen - maybe not from space but definitely from the street.

Sometimes I think we grow weary of being 'the only light’ around. The darkness of the world feels so thick and close around us. We wonder what difference our one little light will make and we hide our witness under a basket. But God can use one willing light to shine and make a difference. Maybe just in your family or workplace. Maybe never in a group of thousands but in a section of dozens. God is not limited by our limitations. Shine your light faithfully for him. Let others see how you follow him. And give him glory for what comes next.

Photo by Fred Heap on Unsplash