Jesus’ sole plan for His followers was to touch the world. He didn’t talk much about services, though they can be good. He didn’t talk about buildings, though they provide a place to gather. He didn’t draw an organizational chart or spell out plans for how to institutionalize and organize His movements. He focused on one strategy: to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.
Ellen G. White in Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing shared, “As the rays of the sun penetrate to the remotest corners of the globe, so God designs that the light of the gospel shall extend to every soul upon the earth. If the church of Christ were fulfilling the purpose of our Lord, light would be shed upon all that sit in darkness and in the region and shadow of death. Instead of congregating together and shunning responsibility and cross bearing, the members of the church would scatter into all lands, letting the light of Christ shine out from them, working as He did for the salvation of souls, and this ‘gospel of the kingdom’ would speedily be carried to all the world.”
When Jesus left the scene, His followers had no money, influence, power, soldiers or weapons. What they did have was a community. It was a small one at first, but it was unlike any community that had ever existed in the world. In this community, the rich gave up what they had to help the poor.
The good deeds that were done by the men and women of this “city on a hill” were so radiant that they overwhelmed the world. They overwhelmed a Roman empire filled with wealth and power. You could not keep people out.
How brightly is your life shining these days? Are you involved, at least sometimes, in acts of compassion that have the result of causing people to say, “How good God is that He would cause someone like this to be in my world, in my life!” Or has your wattage dimmed?
If you get to the end of your life and you have not let your light shine, you have not lived a life of compassion, and it will be because of only one reason—you only partially intended to share your light.
In a world that is filled with hungry people, poor people, illiterate people, people getting stomped on and oppressed and people far from God having no idea they matter to anyone, Jesus is still looking for people who are willing to go into the lifesaving business. He wants people willing to encourage others, to lift them up. He doesn’t need people who are negative and put people down. The devil does enough of that already.
Are you ready to tell God, “I want my light to shine?” You could be the kindness and compassion someone is looking for today.
By Elton DeMoraes, D.Min., Texas Conference president
A version of the editorial appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of the Southwestern Union Record.
