Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. -Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
A while back, I mentioned that I missed a chance to tell my mother about my becoming a follower of Christ. I held my tongue at the time.
The verses at the top of this post rang in my head ever since.
We are to be bold and clear in our confession of being followers of Christ. I live in the United States, far removed from parts of the world where we have brothers and sisters–fellow agents–who face very real persecution, torture, and even death for their beliefs. Who am I to not speak up?
Over lunch, I let my mother know where I stood: I was a flawed but authentic follower of Christ, who snuffed so many of my lifelong vices and worldly desires–that I’d struggled to overcome for decades–to focus on Him. I told her how He changed how I saw people and the world.
She asked me if this God or Jesus person were real, then why didn’t they just fix the issues in my life? I gently replied that her question was a common one, even among believers, but that it stemmed from a misconception that God thinks as we do, and that our trials are meant for a greater purpose we don’t yet understand.
At least in the moment, nothing that came out of my mouth terribly impressed her. Over time, it will be in the fruit of my actions, and how I overcome circumstances through Christ, that she may see Him. But I have planted the seed and set the record straight.
Is there anyone in your life who needs to know that you are a believer and an agent of light? It may be the first step toward them understanding, in retrospect, the supernatural abilities you seem to have in perseverance, grace, wisdom, and victory over impossible odds.
Don’t obscure your light before men. Let it draw them to His light!
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