Be Lights!

Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16

This is my Memorize the Message verse for the week (by the way, I have yet to memorize one, but I do leave it out on my desk to read all week long). It ties in with the Craig's Dirty Feet message yesterday. His message was about serving and he said, "By serving we direct the eyes of people to the cross." Serving is a way to be light to the world.

This also made me thinking about how we should be open with others. Sometimes, as Christians we think we must always be perfect and never make any mistakes or else we might cause someone to stumble. I think this attitude actually causes people to reject Christianity. First, they believe they must be perfect BEFORE they can be Christian (when actually God accepts us as we are and THEN He perfects us). Secondly, when Christians have the attitude that they are perfect and then stumble, it causes people to reject Christianity because they see us as hypocrites. Instead, we should admit that we are still not perfect and that we have difficulties and then we can share how God is working in our lives to change us. When we share how God has changed us and is still changing us, it gives people hope that He will do the same for them.