The world should see something different about us. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and the more time we spend in His presence, the more His holiness will reflect off of us (2 Corinthians 3:18). The purer our lives, the brighter our reflection of God’s glory.
This is what Jesus was teaching in the portion of His Sermon on the Mount when He told His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13) and “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The beatitudes teach us how to live lives of purity, lives that look like Jesus. As we grow in purity, His light shines ever brighter into, through, and out of our lives. So, how bright are you shining?
I want to be a blinding light in the darkness so that people never see me, only the light of Jesus through me. It’s the goal of every disciple. After all, this world is not our home (Hebrews 13:14; Philippians 3:19-20) and this life is not about us (Galatians 2:19-20). We exist for His glory (Isaiah 43:6-7) so we can lead others to Christ (Matthew 28:19-20). It’s easy to look at the beatitudes as a series of measurements we can work on in our habits and attitudes, but they are all interwoven and form more of a progression than a sequence.
Until we understand how broken we are (Matthew 5:3), we will not mourn for how sinful we are (Matthew 5:4). Without a proper understanding of our depravity, we will lack the humility to accept Christ (Matthew 5:5). That humility will drive us to seek Jesus above all else (Matthew 5:6). Once filled with God’s mercy, we will be merciful to others (Matthew 5:7). When we extend mercy to others, we show we have a right understanding of the mercy of God’s salvation and are ready to receive His gift of eternal life (Matthew 5:8).
Heaven-bound people no longer care about what they achieve in this world and become peacemakers who no longer seek their own good, but the good of others (Matthew 5:9). In an ironic twist, the world will reject such selflessness and generate much hate towards us (Matthew 5:10). The more we look like Jesus, the brighter we will shine and the more we will face persecution. Are you shining so brightly that you are experiencing derision, isolation, or persecution for the way you live? If not, you may need to reevaluate the authenticity of your faith (2 Timothy 3:12).
If everything in your life is happy, comfortable, and safe, chances are you are not living the life God calls you to. We should find joy and fulfillment in Christ and our fellow believers, but understand that someone following Christ with complete devotion will never be popular, safe, or comfortable in this world. The blackest darkness saturates our culture to where any source of light is going to stand out. Society demands conformity and does not see standing out as a virtue.
It’s easy to get caught up in the pleasures and comforts of this world and forget this is not our home (1 John 2:15-17; 1 Peter 2:11). We all would prefer to be liked, but Jesus promises the world will hate us (John 15:18-19). What we must decide is if we will surrender the desires we have in life for the desire to look like Jesus, no matter the cost (Luke 14:27). And there will be a cost. We have the light of Christ inside us, and our mission is to reflect it into the world. Are you shining?