Matthew 5:16
By Drew Zuverink
"Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Do people praise God because of you? Do people see your good deeds and glorify God because of them? Does your character move people towards God? Most of us ordinary Christians would probably say no. The vast majority of us aren't evangelists or pastors or people who seem to have a big spiritual impact, we're just ordinary people. We'd like to be used by God, but sometimes it feels like we're just not very impactful. Even our attempts to reach our unsaved friends and coworkers haven't been successful. So letting our light shine before others so that they might glorify God sounds great to us, but sometimes it feels more like a dream than a reality.
Take heart fellow Christian, people praise God because of you more than you probably think. Are you a faithful husband who loves God and prioritizes your relationship with Christ above everything else? Does not your wife thank God for that? Are you a mother who constantly gives and serves and sacrifices for your children? Are there not times where your children thank God for you? Are you a faithful friend who will always pick up the phone if someone needs you? Don't you think that your friends praise God for a friend like you? "Sure," you might say, "but all of those examples just describe my impact on family and friends." True, but why wouldn't family and friends count?
If you let your godly character and good deeds shine, then there are going to be times when people are talking to God because of you. Let that sink in. There are times when people are talking to God because of you. Your character blesses others, of course it does, but is also blesses their relationship with God. That's real impact, don't diminish the significance of this just because it's often our inner circle being blessed the most.
It is our earnest prayer that people outside of our inner circle will be moved closer to God through our good deeds. What a joy that would be! May we all strive for that kind of an impact. In the mean time, take encouragement in the fact that your Christ like character, your faithful obedience, and your good deeds are pointing people to Christ. It's not just a dream of yours, it's a current reality. May God use this encouragement to spur us on to do this more and more.
I have envied the disciples of Christ, it would have been amazing to witness those miracles. Now I have gone from envy to expectation. I would like to see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit today as like then and be part of that powerful ministry. Perhaps it’s a lack of faith or just not the right time, but Mark 16:17-18 says supernatural signs will follow those that believe. I am praying for that to happen again.