Why We Shine
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
Insight
We rarely turn on the lights in a room to stare directly at the lights themselves. (In fact, doing so can cause eye damage. Don’t do that.) Lights are a means to an end—they serve to illuminate the things around them. They help us to see clearly and navigate our surroundings skillfully.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world. But our light doesn’t serve to illuminate our own greatness. Our light doesn’t serve to draw attention to us. Just like the lights we use on a daily basis, if we leverage our light to bring others’ focus solely onto us, it can be dangerous. The light we hold within ourselves doesn’t originate with us. It is God-given! We have God’s light within us so that we can shine upon others, and highlight God’s glory. We shine our light “so that everyone will praise [our] heavenly Father.”
So often, we serve others for the wrong reasons. We give ourselves away in an attempt to feel like a “good person,” or to fulfill religious “obligations.” But when we serve those around us to boost our ego, it is not true service. When we serve to glorify ourselves, our service is no longer an act of love. Service becomes an act of selfishness. Service, in its purest form, requires humility. Jesus modeled this humble servitude during His earthly ministry. He didn’t stand to gain anything from what He gave us, except a close relationship with us.
The world praises us for our good works. It is intoxicating. It is difficult to not crave the attention and gratification that comes from doing good for others. It is difficult to volunteer without the boost that comes to our resumes. It is hard to love the difficult people in our lives without the sense of pride that follows. But God cares just as much about our motivations as He cares about the results of our service (1 Samuel 16:7).
If serving others didn’t result in a self-esteem boost, would you still lay your life down for those around you? If no one ever recognized the good you did, would you still do it? If the way you loved people couldn’t change their perception of your “goodness,” would you love in the same way?
Reflection
What does it look like for you to serve others for the right reasons?
What practical steps can you take to purify your motivations?
Prayer
Abba, thank You for giving me a perfect example of humble love. Thank You for giving me the power and opportunity to shine Your light on those around me. I pray that as I serve others, I would do so for the right reasons. Help me to give my life away, not so that I can feel better about myself, but so that You are glorified. Don’t let me shame myself when impure motivations creep in. Instead, help me turn those feelings over to You and accept Your grace. You don’t expect me to be perfect. You just expect me to show up and do my best to love as You love. God, show me how to serve others without recognition, applause, or appreciation. Let my service be motivated by my love for You. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.