Matthew 5:14,16 NIV: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden…in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Have you ever noticed how scrutinized people are in the limelight? The media records every facial expression and body movement, then quickly highlights the foibles and gives meaning to every tick. In those moments, I usually sigh and mumble thanks that I am not famous and that nobody cares how I dress or how I do my hair.
However obscure my life is, I am challenged by reading this verse to remember that my behavior does matter. Jesus speaks these words to a large crowd directly following the Beatitudes and combines two metaphors related to visibility: light and position.
I live in Kansas, an area with no mountains or hills. I tried to imagine my town on the top of rolling hills for this art piece. It is true that if you have a house on top of a hill, everyone around you will definitely see it.
In the same way, my life is visible, just like a town on a hillside or a light beam giving off a radiant, bright hue. Jesus challenges us to act in ” good ” ways so that our deeds ultimately point people to Christ. It’s important to note that the word Jesus used here for good is Kalos, which means excellent, beautiful, or noble. I think of this as the kind of good that inspires.
That’s the challenge. This doesn’t mean I need to feel pressure to do some heroic deed. I think it’s more that my actions should reflect the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I don’t really relish the idea that people watch our actions and attitudes and then make judgments about the truth of Christianity or Faith based on those actions. But just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
Pick one of the fruits of the spirit that doesn’t come naturally, and ask God to increase it in you this week. Then your life, as a city on the hill, will shine bright.
Leave a Reply