In the poem entitled “Sermons We See” by Edgar Guest he writes;
“I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear, Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear, And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done; I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do; For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live."
Edgar was clearly stressing the importance of how we live. This is not news for Christians.
Jesus told us in Matthew 5:14-16, “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.”
Three times in this passage we see the word “your”. The reason we shine our light before men are so that people will see it. Ironically, not so that people will see us, but they will see Jesus at work in us. God did not make us the light of the world so that people would look at us. The goal is that when I love people, that my good works, in the end, give credit to the Father, He would get the glory. Everything we do ought to give Him glory. The product of our shining light is to give glory to God.
Are you shining the light of Christ? The church needs to see the light of Christ in your life. You need it. Do people see God’s glory when they look at your life?