Shining Lights
A friend and I had coffee at Panera Bread this morning. I’m not a fan of Panera, but I like my friend and I like coffee. My friend and I spend ninety minutes or so talking, and as we talk I see several tables where people pause to pray before they eat. Yes, I’m in the Bible Belt (the Lynchburg-Roanoke area has sometimes been called the “Buckle of the Bible Belt”), but I love seeing people unafraid to pray in public.
When I see people pray in public, I’m reminded of God’s goodness, I’m reminded to give thanks to God for His goodness, I’m reminded of God’s power He uses to give me bountiful blessings, and I’m reminded of the power of prayer. I’m reminded of God and the blessings of prayer because complete strangers are unafraid to let their light shine before men.
Only God knows the good that might come if we really allow our lights to shine before men and point them to God that they might glorify Him. What are some practical ways we can let our light shine?
- Holding the door for the elderly lady struggling on her cane.
- Willingly giving up “our” pew when some guests are sitting there.
- Refusing to berate the waitress when she brings the wrong order long after we should have received the right one.
- Offering to babysit the bratty kid next door so his parents can have a much-needed break.
- Shoveling snow from the single mother’s driveway.
- Thanking our daughter’s softball coach for the time he sacrifices instead of chewing him out because our child didn’t get as much playing time as someone else’s.
- Letting someone into traffic on a busy highway, even though we may get to sit through another red light.
- Using appropriate language when we miss the layup during the pick-up basketball game at the gym.
I know I’ve barely scratched the surface. Think about your daily life. What can you do as you live from day to day to point people to your Father in heaven? Go and be salt and light!