AUGUST 17, 2012
They
Are Watching
Read: Matthew 5:13-16
Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and
glorify
your Father in heaven. —Matthew 5:16
A professional football player’s team was having a
terrible season,
losing week after week. A reporter asked him how he stayed
motivated
to play hard and give his best even though his team lost almost every
game. He responded, “My dad is watching that game. My mom is
watching that
game. You better believe I’m going to do my best!” He
recognized that there was
more at stake than just winning or losing.
People were watching, and that
reality always drove him to do his best.
Jesus reminded us of this reality in the early portions
of His Sermon
on the Mount. We should live our lives with a recognition that
what
we do is observed by those around us—and this visible life makes a
statement about our God. He said, “Let your light so shine before men,
that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”
(Matt. 5:16).
How does the light of our lives shine? By bringing the heart
and character of
Christ into the situations that engage us every day. By
showing compassion as
He did for the marginalized or forgotten. By
displaying concern for the
Father’s name and reputation.
People are watching us. The question is, What do they
see?
Show me the way,
Lord, let my light shine
As an example of
good to mankind.
Help them to see
the patterns of Thee,
Shining in beauty,
lived out in me. —Neuer
Let
your light shine—whether you’re a candle in a corner or
a lighthouse on a hill.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
