Jesus said: Letting light shine doesn’t mean doing token good deeds or keeping holy appearances. The Pharisees were good at that. Letting light shine means living in such a way that your life has a transformative effect on the world around you.Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
Letting your light shine can mean being at odds with all around you who are in agreement to do what is wrong, or apathetic to change, or just plain lazy. It means working to better the lives of those around you who suffer at the hands of others, or of circumstance.
Jesus went to Capernaum and started healing people and setting them free from demonic bondage. The scriptures applied this prophecy to Jesus in Capernaum “to those that sit in darkness, a great light has come.”
The light is the change that brings people to Jesus, to live in the Father, out of despair and to hope, from rejection to acceptance, from dishonor to dignity. You can see this picture more clearly in a passage in the book of Isaiah.
This is the kind of fasting I have chosen: Loosen the chains of wickedness, untie the straps of the yoke, let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke. Share your food with the hungry, take the poor and homeless into your house, and cover them with clothes when you see them naked. Don't refuse to help your relatives.
Then your light will break through like the dawn, and you will heal quickly. Your righteousness will go ahead of you, and the glory of the LORD will guard you from behind. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, "Here I am!"
Get rid of that yoke. Don't point your finger and say wicked things. If you give some of your own food to feed those who are hungry and to satisfy the needs of those who are humble, then your light will rise in the dark, and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun.
The LORD will continually guide you and satisfy you even in sun-baked places. He will strengthen your bones. You will become like a watered garden and like a spring whose water does not stop flowing. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the foundations of past generations. You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live. (Isaiah 58:6-12)
This series "Following Jesus" will observe the commands of Jesus. Each week, Bro Steve will highlight one command of Jesus and explore how to obey it practically.