2 Corinthians 4:6
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
“Hide it under a bushel? NO! I’m gonna let it shine.” These are the words from the popular song, This Little Light of Mine. We oftentimes sing this song without stopping to think about what we are saying. We are to let our light shine brightly in a dark world. God commands us to do so in the verse above. But, how do we let our light shine brightly in a dark world? God shows us five things we must do to accomplish this.
First, realize the importance of the ministry. Paul said in verse 1, “Therefore seeing we have this ministry…” This ministry that we have is the only hope for many people. This ministry we have is what keeps many souls from going to Hell. Your light will never shine brightly in this dark world if you don’t realize the importance of the ministry. It is this ministry that allows us to give the Gospel to a lost soul. It is this ministry that helps the hurting soul. It is this ministry that brings comfort to the hurting. It is this ministry that gives hope to the one sin has destroyed. Your light will be dim until you realize the importance of serving the LORD.
Second, don’t quit! He continues in the same verse by saying, “…as we have received mercy, we faint not;” How is your light going to shine if you quit? I certainly understand the difficulty of the ministry, but that doesn’t mean you should quit. If you are going to let your light shine brightly, you are going to have to determine not to quit when the times get difficult. Quitting must never be an option.
Third, live a life of transparency. In verse 2 we are commanded to renounce “…the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness…” People need to see that Christians can be trusted. I’m afraid that there are a few Christians who have hurt the reputation of many because of their dishonest dealings. Christians must be completely honest. They especially must be honest in how they live. You cannot live a double life and let your light shine brightly. The light that shines the brightest is the life that is lived honestly and with complete transparency.
Fourth, tell the Gospel to everyone. Verse 3 shows that Paul did not hide the Gospel. You don’t live a transparent life to hide it, but you live transparently to display to others the greatness of the Christian life. Everywhere you go you should be telling others about Jesus Christ. They should see the honesty by which you live life and realize that the Christian life is the answer. Friend, how can your light shine if you never tell anyone about Jesus Christ? The purpose of living a transparent life is so that your light can be brighter when you tell others the Gospel.
Fifth, keep Christ as your central focus. Paul said in verse 5, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord…” Your light cannot shine brightly when you are focused on darkness. God is light, and your focus must be on Him. You are to be a reflection of Christ, and you cannot be that reflection when you are focused on man. Keep your life pointed to Christ so that your life reflects His light.
This world is certainly dark and the only way it is going to get better is for Christians to let their light shine brightly. How bright does your light shine? Let me encourage you to be a light to someone in darkness today.