No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:15-16
In Matthew 5:15-16, Jesus isn’t giving a lecture on proper lamp placement. He’s talking about the importance of not hiding your light—or faith. The emphasis is on the ministry of Christian character.
God did not intend that we hoard His teaching for ourselves, but that we share it with others. Let your faith shine brightly, like a lamp on a stand.
People will notice your good works and want to what drives you. This is where you let them know that you are driven by Jesus. While there may be some who turn away from you, there will be others who will be inspired to learn more.
It shouldn’t be considered a bold act to be open about who drives you to do good works, but we live in a broken world that encourages pridefulness and elimination of God, so be bold and let your faith in God shine for others to see.
Here are some examples of well known people openly expressing their faith and love for Jesus.
“(My) great joy and glory that, in occupying an exalted position in the nation, I am enabled, to preach the practical moralities of The Bible to my fellow-countrymen and to hold up Christ as the hope and Savior of the world.” —Theodore Roosevelt, president of the United States
“It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if ten million tell you no. If you get one yes from God that’s all you need.” and “Did you know you can’t say Jesus in a sitcom? They told me that and I was like…If you don’t want my God here, then you don’t want me here either.” —Tyler Perry, actor and filmmaker
“The first thing I do when I start my day is, I get down on my hands and knees and give thanks to God.” —Mark Wahlberg, actor
“There’s more to me than just this jersey I wear, and that’s Christ living inside of me.”
—Stephen Curry, basketball player
“The most important thing … is the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord will be glorified. I want to let the people know that there is a God who can raise people from nothing into something. And that’s me. I came from nothing into something.” —Manny Pacquiao, boxer
First off, I’d like to thank God for changing my life.
—Kevin Durant, basketball player
I highlighted Kevin Durant’s quote because it was direct and connects with so many believers. “First off” is powerful because Durant could have discussed his basketball skills, training regime, or a number of other topics, but he put God first. Then, Durant thanks God for changing his life. We can strongly connect with this quote because God has changed our lives, and we are grateful.
—Faith