A Brighter Light:

Seven Simple Steps

To Help Your
Christian Light Shine

By R. Herbert
© 2024, Tactical Belief Books – an imprint of
TacticalChristianity.org .

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ISBN 979-8-89342-520-8

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THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® NIV ®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society ®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
In a few cases, the BSB (Berean Study Bible ©), CSB (Christian Standard
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acknowledged.

About the Author: The author served as an ordained minister and

church pastor for a number of years and holds an earned Ph.D. degree in
the languages, cultures and archaeology of the ancient Near East and
biblical world. He writes for a number of Christian publications and for
the websites TacticalChristianity.org and LivingWithFaith.org. His other
e-books are available for free download from those websites and from
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 CONTENTS

Introduction: A Brighter Light

PART ONE: PREPARATION

1. Motivation

2. Purification

3. Dedication

PART TWO: APPLICATION

4. Integrity

5. Responsibility

6. Activity

7. Humility

Conclusion: Shining More and More

About Our Books

 INTRODUCTION:
A Brighter Light

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot
be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify
your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16)

Most Christians know these words of Jesus well, but do we think of

them as a command? If we look closely at the statement in his great
Sermon on the Mount, we see that Jesus did indeed give them as a
command to his followers. We are called to be a light to the people
around us just as much as we are called to love and obey God.
Letting our lights shine is a basic Christian responsibility, but
even though we realize our spiritual light is “reflected from Christ”
(we will talk more about that in Chapter One), it can still be a little
daunting, especially for those new to the faith, to think of ourselves
as “lights.” We read the biblical stories of great men and women of
faith and it may seem that we are truly still at the candle power
stage compared to the powerful light God has shone through some
of his servants.
If we do feel a lack of confidence in this regard, we should
perhaps remember just what an effect a single physical candle can
have. The light of an average wax candle can be seen at amazing
distances – in clear dark conditions a candle can be seen at over
three miles at ground level, and from an elevated position
(remember Jesus’ words about placing the candle on a stand) you
can actually see a candle much further. On a dark night, in fact, the
human eye is able to see a single elevated candle flickering up to
thirty miles away!
 The point of this analogy is that if we allow Christ to work in our
lives and to “shine” in us, we need never be concerned that our light
is not bright enough, that we are not knowledgeable enough, good
enough, or spiritual enough to shine. God supplies the light, not us,
and sometimes even the smallest amount of light can be seen and
be effective.
But if this is good news, there is more! Even if a small amount of
light can make a difference – physically or spiritually – we all have
the opportunity to make it possible for God to do more through us
and to shine more brightly.
In fact, the Scriptures urge us to do exactly this – to shine even
brighter and more effectively. We see this in the Old Testament
where the book of Proverbs tells us: “The path of the righteous is
like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day”
(Proverbs 4:18). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul tells us
that this is at the very heart of our Christian calling: “We, who with
unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed
into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the
Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Letting our lights shine is not just about us. The growth God
gives us is not only for our sakes, but also to make it possible for us
to serve, help, and be an increasing light to others.
Our key textbook on this subject must be the Bible, of course, but
this short book examines seven simple ways in which we can avoid
short-circuiting the light God desires to show through us, and to
more effectively let that light flourish and shine. If we follow these
principles we can better reflect God’s nature, better do his work,
and better fulfill his desire in our lives. The more brightly we shine,
the more the God we serve can help others through us. If that is
your desire, read on.
 PART ONE:
PREPARATION
 1. Motivation:
Shining for the Right Reasons
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For
those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”
(Isaiah 9:2 NLT)

These beautiful and well-known words of the prophet Isaiah refer

primarily, of course, to the great light that the promised Messiah,
Jesus Christ, would bring into this world (John 1:4–5). But Jesus
said that those who truly followed him would do the same works
that he had done (John 14:12), and he commanded us to let our
light shine also (Matthew 5:14–16).
The light that shone in Jesus can also shine through us – even if
it is to a far smaller degree – to help those in a sin-darkened world
in the same way. That is what the apostle Paul was alluding to when
he wrote that “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made
his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of
God's glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Amazing as it may seem, God has made it possible for us to reflect
the very radiance of Jesus Christ in our lives if we are willing to do
our part and let God work through us. But our motivation for this
must be right.
First, we must realize that God does not need spiritual giants or
superheroes to do his work. He calls us instead, to let his indwelling
Spirit be evident in us and to shine through us quietly, as we live
out our everyday lives. So we must put away ideas of individually
changing the world through any brightness we may reflect. In fact,
when we live as God commands us, the less we think about what we
are doing, the better. Being overly aware of good deeds we may be
able to do is never good. But that does not mean we should not
prepare ourselves to do good, or be aware of things to avoid and
things for which we want to strive.
Good Done Rightly

Naturally, we must always be careful not to do anything because we

want to be seen doing good – just as Jesus warned:

Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others

to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from
your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not
announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do… to be
honored by others... But when you give to the needy, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that
your giving may be in secret… And when you pray, do not be
like the hypocrites, for they love to pray… to be seen by
others… But when you pray, go into your room, close the door
and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father,
who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew
6:1–6)

These words of Jesus cover both our interactions with God and with
one another, and clearly show that our good deeds should be
anonymous and unseen whenever possible. When our good deeds
must be done in the open, we must do them only with the hope that
God’s light will be seen and acknowledged – not that our own
efforts will be advertised. Otherwise, we not only will not shine as
we should, but we also will allow pride to stain what good we do,
and God may well humble us before he chooses to use us further
(James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). The human tendency to do what is right for
our own advantage applies to many areas of life. Paul had this in
mind when he wrote regarding how we work:

obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only

when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with
sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you
do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:5–7)
An Attitude of Love

Another important aspect of our striving to do good that needs care

in our attitude and approach is that of reward. Christians
sometimes misunderstand the many scriptures regarding the
reward God promises to those who serve him. The verses of
Matthew 6:1–6 quoted above are a good example of such a scripture
as this passage mentions God rewarding our good deeds multiple
times.
God does reward our service to him and to others, but an
expected reward should never be our reason for wanting our light to
shine. The Scriptures mention God’s rewards not in the way we
might offer a carrot to a donkey to make it work, but to show God’s
fairness and his appreciation for those who love him (Hebrews
6:10), and to give us a hope that whatever negative things may
happen as a result of our Christian service in this life, it will work
out well in the end.
But our primary reason for good works should always be that
they are done as a result of love for God and others. Otherwise, as
Paul so memorably tells us: “If I give all I possess to the poor and
give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have
love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). We must also remember
Jesus’ words that we should let our lights shine in order that others
“may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”
(Matthew 5:16). That should always be reason enough to do good,
along with the simple desire to help others through the Christian
love God gives us (1 John 4:7, 12).
Beyond these basic aspects of having a right attitude to letting
our light shine, we should remember that even when we do what is
right for the right reasons, the light we reflect may not be
recognized for what it is. As Paul also emphasized: “The god of this
age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see
the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the
image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Although this is speaking
primarily about the spoken gospel message, it also applies to the
light of our right actions as part of the unspoken gospel. But it does
not matter if good deeds are not recognized as such. God is used to
not getting credit for what he does! What matters most to him, and
should matter most to us, is that our attitude is one of love, and that
God’s work of love gets done anyway.
We can be encouraged, however, that in a great many cases we
find the opposite situation – the light of God shines through his
people and is recognized as good in countless situations each and
every day. God does not call us to a pointless or empty quest in
telling us to let our light shine. If we do our part, he can and will
work through us more times than we probably will ever realize.
 2. Purification:
House Cleaning
“put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of
light.” (Romans 13:12)

“become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in

a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine
among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:15)

The word purify is often used in the Old Testament to describe the
cleansing that makes something or someone acceptable to God (for
example, Exodus 19:10; Numbers 8:21). It is used in the New
Testament in the same way – often with the connotation of ethical
and moral purity (for example, John 11:55; Acts 21:24–26; James
4:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:3). But the idea of “purification” may
seem strange to some Christians. “Aren’t we purified by Christ’s
death?” they might ask … “What more do we need to do?”
It is true, of course, that we are purified by the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ on our behalf. But that purification is only the beginning of
our Christian lives. It is not a license to continue to routinely sin –
as a great many scriptures show. We must, in fact, begin a lifetime
of purification or “sanctification,” as theologians call it. The process
of ongoing purification is guided and empowered by God, for it is
“the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the
glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11). But although God works
in us to accomplish our ongoing sanctification, we have a very real
part to play in the process.
Paul’s words to the Christians at Philippi – quoted at the
beginning of this chapter –highlight our part in this process in
saying we must “become blameless and pure” if we are to be lights
to others. After setting out with the right motivation, we must
purify our lives from ongoing sin. We may have been forgiven and
cleansed from our past sins, but then we continue the process with
God’s help. Paul made this even clearer when he wrote: “let us
purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,
perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). As
he explained further:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all
goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases
the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of
darkness, but rather expose them. (Ephesians 5:8–11)

The apostle John tells us the same thing: “now we are children of
God … All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is
pure” (1 John 2–3). Notice that what John says here is addressed
only to believers (“we are children of God”), showing that making
oneself pure is not referring to our original forgiveness and
justification, but rather to our present and ongoing purification and
sanctification.
It is vital that we understand this basic aspect of Christianity if
we are to ever grow as God intends for us. It is also of paramount
importance that we understand and seriously focus on purification
if we are to be a light to others. No matter what we might think, no
matter how “good” our good deeds may seem to us, if they are only
outward and our lives are still full of sin, we will never be able to
shine as God intends us to. In fact, we may be no better than the
ancient Pharisees of whom Jesus said: “on the outside you appear
to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy
and wickedness” (Matthew 23:28).
As we will see in Part Two, nothing is more destructive to our
ability to serve as lights than when others see clear evidence of
darkness within us. But none of us is perfect and we must all work
on removing sin from our lives. So how do we fulfill God’s
commands to begin to replace inner sin and darkness with the light
of God? Fortunately, the Bible gives us clear answers. We sanctify
ourselves when we use the means God has provided for purification
– and that is primarily his word.
Notice some scriptures that explain this. In his great sermon
given to his disciples on the last evening Jesus spent with them, he
told the twelve “You are already clean because of the word I have
spoken to you” (John 15:3). We see that this cleansing was not
final, but ongoing, in that later the same evening Jesus asked the
Father “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
God uses his word to continue to purify us – just as Paul wrote: “All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–
17). “Every good work” includes, of course, being a light to others.
The word of God purifies us in two ways:
First, God’s word defines sin for us and provides warning signs to
keep us away from the pitfalls of sin. We see this in scriptures such
as 1 John 3:4-6 “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is
lawlessness… No one who lives in [Christ] keeps on sinning. No one
who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” And many
scriptures – from the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament
(Exodus 20:1–17) to various lists of sinful behavior in the New
Testament (Galatians 5:19–21; etc.), show us what constitutes the
breaking of God’s law of love.
Second, like a mirror, the word of God shows us what is wrong
with us – the spiritual blemishes and grime that do take hold on us
and that we would not see without it. Seeing this “reflection” gives
us the opportunity to strive to purify our thoughts, words, and
deeds. But we must do our part in this, just as James tells us:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.

Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not
do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a
mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks
intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues
 in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they
will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22–25)

So the process of sanctification is a mutual effort. God guides and

encourages our hunger and thirst for righteousness and purity,
while our efforts to seek God and learn his ways allow God to help
us see what is right and to live accordingly. As God’s purifying work
in our lives progresses, it shapes our thoughts, words, and deeds,
and who we really are – as well as our ability to reflect the light of
God’s purity and goodness.
We will never become as pure “as he is pure” (1 John 3:3) in this
life, but this does not negate our responsibility to strive after the
holiness God wants to see in us – and if we let it, the word of God
enables us to do our part in avoiding sin. We will see how we do
that in the next chapter.
 3. Dedication:
Better, Not More
In the last chapter we talked about the vital importance of purifying
our lives if we are to ever serve as lights to others. Even if God is
doing the actual shining through us, we still have to prepare. Like
the wise virgins in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 25:1–13), we need to
obtain and store the oil for our lamps even if God ultimately
provides the light! Now we will look at ways we can do that through
our use of God’s word – whether we are studying it, meditating on
it, or praying for help to apply it – and we will look at each of these
three areas in turn.

Study: The Lamp and the Light

We have already seen that one of the great reasons God has given us
his written word is so that we can know right from wrong and be
guided away from the sins that will hurt us and others. As the psalm
tells us: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”
(Psalm 119:105).
Once we deeply understand this fact, it may be our natural
inclination to try to study the Bible more than we are already doing.
If we were studying a chapter a day, perhaps we should be studying
two, three, or more! But that is not really what we need to enable
our lights to shine – we often need not more study, but better study.
For one thing, there is something of a law of diminishing returns
when it comes to Bible study. The more we study the Scriptures in a
given session, the less likely it is that we will be able to grasp its
principles and lessons. Too much study in a limited period of time
can just lead to the opposite of what we need – with one important
point simply blurring into another.
The best way to improve our study is not to study more, but to
study better – not rambling reading, but focused, concentrated, and
dedicated study. Rather than reading a certain amount of the Bible
each day, it can be more profitable to read with a specific purpose in
mind – to look especially for guidance and inspiration regarding
pleasing God and helping others – and when possible, to read until
we find something that speaks to us in this regard.
In the physical world, if we focus rays of physical light, they shine
more brightly, and if we focus our study to let God show us how to
grow and serve, we learn more deeply and can become brighter
instruments in his hands. This may not be the only type of study we
utilize, of course, but we need to be sure to include it in order to
gain the specific knowledge we need to let our lights grow as
effectively as possible.
It is also vital that we do not study so much at one time that we
cannot internalize what we are reading. It is only with intentional
effort to make God’s instruction part of us that we can fully do our
part in avoiding sin. Just as the psalmist wrote: “I have hidden your
word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11),
we are empowered to remember and apply God’s instruction when
it is “hidden” within us.
This does not mean that we keep God’s word secret within us.
The Hebrew word translated “hidden” in this verse means to
“treasure,” “keep,” “save up,” or “store.” We see these meanings in
the translations “I have treasured your word in my heart” (CSB),
and “I have stored up your word in my heart” (ESV). When we do
that, the Spirit of God can more effectively guide us in remembering
and applying what we have learned.
This is what the apostle Peter meant when he wrote of the
Scriptures “We also have the prophetic message as something
completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to
a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning
star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19). God’s word is a light and the
more we internalize it, the more that light fills us and can flow
through us.
Meditation: Growth Begins in the Mind

Many Christians faithfully study their Bibles on a regular basis, but

do not profit from the study as much as they could because they
jump immediately from their devotional study to the next thing on
their daily “to-do” list. Most of us are so busy with the issues of
everyday life that it can be difficult not to do this, but one of the
benefits of studying less but better is that it gives us time to
meditate and think about what we have learned.
Today, the word meditation can have “new-age,” oriental, or even
mystical connotations, but most of these forms of “meditation”
involve emptying the mind or filling it with a meaningless point of
focus. Biblical meditation is nothing like these things (see for
example, Psalm 119:97–98). This kind of meditation flows over
from our study into our lives. It is active and focused and involves
our thinking about principles we want to memorize and apply. We
see this clearly in what God told ancient Israel regarding
internalizing his instructions:

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as
symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit
at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie
down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of
your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 11:18–20)

Thinking about God’s laws and how we can apply them in specific
areas of our lives is what these verses urge us to do, in whatever
opportunities we have. Remembering and thinking about what we
have seen in our study of God’s word not only reinforces our
memory of it, but greatly helps us to apply it when we can and
should do so. That is why David tells us that the righteous are those
“whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his
law day and night” (Psalm 1:2).
Prayer: The Power Source

No matter how much time we spend studying God’s word, and

meditating on its meaning, we still need God’s help to be able to
apply what he reveals to us in our own lives. We obtain that help
through prayer, but as we said regarding study, the basis of spiritual
growth and service is not always more prayer – it is often better,
more focused prayer that we need.
Once we have seen things, through our study and meditation,
that we need to change or want to improve, we should always take
those things to God in prayer. If we do not, we run the risk of trying
to change, and to live righteously on our own strength – something
that is ultimately doomed to fail.
On the other hand, when we humbly show God that we are
receptive to what he has helped us to see, and we ask for his help to
accomplish those things, we guarantee success if we persevere in
doing the best we can aided by God’s help. But our prayers should
be detailed and specific. It is easy to pray “Please God help me be a
better person” or “Please make me a better light,” but this is not
very effective at all.
To make a simple analogy, would a bank manager approve a loan
to us if we simply said “Please give me some money”? God wants to
be involved in our spiritual growth in the same way that a banker
would expect to be informed of issues regarding our financial
growth or well-being.
The Old Testament contains a wonderful example of the
principle of specific prayer. The ancient Israelites were commanded
to make offerings of incense that were burned so that the perfumed
rising smoke symbolized their ascending prayers (Psalm 141:2).
But God did not command that the people of Israel simply throw
incense onto the flames – he commanded that the incense had to be
“finely ground” (Leviticus 16:12), just as our prayers need to be
broken down into small and specific details.
Putting It All Together

Of course, our study, meditation, and prayer do not produce growth

and spiritual light in us of and by themselves, but God gives us
these spiritual tools to help us grow with his help. “Growing and
glowing” in our Christian life is never about what we do, but always
about what God does in us. And when we get specific about learning
God’s will, about thinking how it applies in our lives, and about
asking God’s help, we fulfill God’s desire to work through us so that
he can, indeed, begin to use us as lights.
PART TWO:
APPLICATION
 4. Integrity:
Living in the Truth

“Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?

Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the LORD,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.” (Psalm 15 NLT)

The words of King David in Psalm 15 remind us that God is a God of

standards – that he expects us to live our lives according to his ways
and not according to our natural human inclinations. David’s words
are also a powerful reminder that if we are to be a true light to
others and represent God’s ways to them, those high standards
apply to us even more.
We can summarize the high standards God calls us to live by in a
single word: integrity. To live with integrity means to live with
sincerity, without deception or pretense, and to live consistently, to
be the same under all circumstances. There are two simple reasons
why our lives must reflect this kind of integrity.
First, we must understand that God himself is a God of integrity
– and we are called to become like him. God always speaks the
truth, of course, and is always faithful in living by his standards.
Even when we fail God, his integrity remains – as the apostle Paul
wrote: “if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown
himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). God’s integrity is so evident that even
the enemies of Jesus admitted to him:
 we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the
way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by
others, because you pay no attention to who they are.
(Matthew 22:16)

Our salvation is based on God’s grace, but that grace itself prompts
us to live according to God’s way of life (Ephesians 2:8-10), to strive
to live as God lives. Jesus criticized some of the religious people of
his day for not living with this kind of integrity:

You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the

outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and
everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you
appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of
hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:27–28)

Although this may seem like an extreme comparison, the principle

clearly applies to all of us if our outward show of Christianity is in
any way different from the people we are within.
The second reason we must have integrity (as we mentioned in
Part One) is that if we do not, we will sooner or later be exposed.
The old saying “your sins will find you out” is based on what the
Bible itself tells us repeatedly: “Whoever walks in integrity walks
securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out”
(Proverbs 10:9); “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the
unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (Proverbs 11:3); and
“Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness
overthrows the sinner” (Proverbs 13:6); to give only three examples.
But the danger of our hidden sinfulness being discovered is not
only that we may suffer as a result. Our ability to be a witness, to let
our light shine before others, is also severely compromised, if not
totally destroyed. Sadly, not a year goes by without some who teach
godly living – sometimes famous pastors and other Christian
leaders – being exposed as living differently from the way of life
they proclaim. This is often seen by others not only as personal
hypocrisy, but also as an indication that Christianity itself is a failed
religion.
 This situation is true for all of us. Even if we ourselves are not
Christian leaders, our lives are still lived out beneath the
magnifying glass of integrity that others view us through. That is
why Paul told Titus: “In everything set them an example … show
integrity” (Titus 2:7). This does not mean that we need be overly
concerned about others’ opinions of us, but that we should be
continually conscious of what God thinks regarding whether our
walk is helping or hindering others (Luke 17:1).
We cannot be a light to others just by going to church or reading
the Bible. On the other hand, we effect others through our integrity
– or lack of it – in countless aspects of our lives. That is why Paul
wrote: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy
of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). We may not be accepting
bribes, participating in immoral behavior, or living without
integrity in similar blatant ways, but it is often the small physical
things of life that people notice and judge us by.
For example, do we keep our promises – even if it is to our
detriment (Psalm 15:4)? Do we refuse to listen to, or pass on gossip
(Proverbs 25:9–10)? Is our speech always clean and free from
impurity (Ephesians 4:29)? If we do not have integrity in such areas
of everyday life, we cannot represent God’s light to others well.
Living in integrity means each of us must exercise care in the small
things in order to be a light for the big things (Luke 16:10–15).
Having godly integrity does not mean we become perfect, of
course. As Christians, we still possess sinful human nature and
sometimes fall to temptations, attacks, and weaknesses. Such was
the case with many of the greatest of God’s people of the past
(Moses, David, Peter, and many others come to mind). But falling
occasionally is not the same as living duplicitously, unfaithfully, and
without integrity, or allowing evil or compromise to continually live
within us (1 John 1:8–10; 2:1–2).
When we “clean house” (see Chapter Two) as we turn to God,
and as we continue to root out behavior that is not Christian, our
integrity grows, and God delights to use us more and more. This is
not simply our own accomplishment – rather if we are doing our
part, God works through us to use the integrity he develops within
us. So it is that Paul could write “Now this is our boast: Our
conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves … with
integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on
worldly wisdom but on God’s grace” (2 Corinthians 1:12).
Remembering David’s thoughts on integrity with which we began
this chapter, it is not surprising to read that David also prayed: “I
know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with
integrity” (1 Chronicles 29:17). David knew, as we should also, that
God is always pleased to see integrity in his people, and always
desirous to use that faithfulness to influence others. Indeed, David
understood that God desires to surround himself with integrity –
both now and in his future kingdom: “Because of my integrity you
uphold me and set me in your presence forever” (Psalm 41:12). In
the same way, integrity should be a foremost goal in our lives – one
that allows God not only to bless us, but also to bless others through
us.
 5. Responsibility:
What Our Neighbors See

We have seen how vital integrity is in enabling us to reflect the

goodness of God’s ways. In the same way, the manner in which we
fulfill our responsibilities in life has a great affect on how we – and
the religion we follow – are perceived by others. The two areas
overlap to some extent, but while integrity covers mainly ethical or
moral issues of right and wrong, responsibility is a broader concept
that may involve smaller but nevertheless important issues. For
example, if we knowingly keep and do not return books to a library,
this is an issue of integrity as we may be guilty of stealing. If we
routinely do not return our books on time that is more an issue of
responsibility, but we may still present a negative image to others
by this behavior.
That the seemingly smaller issues of life are important in terms
of letting our light shine can be seen in the very clear requirements
that the New Testament gives for elders in the church. Writing to
his assistant Timothy, the apostle Paul stated:

An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of

but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable,
hospitable, able to teach, not dependent on wine, not violent
but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money. An
overseer must manage his own household well and keep his
children under control, with complete dignity. For if someone
does not know how to manage his own household, how can he
care for the church of God? …. Furthermore, he must have a
good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into
disgrace and into the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:2–7
BSB)

Paul also wrote about the deacons who served under the elders:
 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or
given to much wine or greedy for money... Additionally, they
must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them
serve as deacons. In the same way, the women [probably
deaconesses] must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate
and faithful in all things. A deacon must be the husband of but
one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own
household. (1 Timothy 3:8–12 BSB)

Notice that the requirements for these highly visible offices do not
focus on spiritual activities such as lengthy prayer or Bible study, or
even on good works – but what other people see. In every case Paul
lists issues of integrity (for example, not slandering others) or
responsibility (for example, supervising one’s children), that will
affect how others see us and our religion.
While we may not be elders or deacons, it is important that we
realize that the high standards Paul outlines for these individuals
apply just as much to any Christian who desires to be a light to
others. It is not that these are special rules only applying to a select
few, rather they are principles that can apply to anyone who might
represent God’s way of life. This is what Paul meant when he wrote
that such individuals must “have a good reputation with outsiders.”
So how should we unpack what Paul wrote to see the full extent
of how these principles apply in our lives? Responsibility is a huge
area that touches on so many aspects of daily living, but we can
apply the principles to any situation simply by examining our lives
and asking ourselves straightforward questions.
For example, do we return things we borrow? Psalm 37:21 tells
us frankly: “The wicked borrow and do not repay” and while this
primarily applies to monetary loans, the principle applies just as
much to a tool borrowed from our neighbor, or even that overdue
library book someone else is waiting to read! And do we make
restitution for things belonging to others that we damage or wear
out? Numbers 5:6–7 includes such situations and shows that if we
do not, we are failing to show responsibility in this area whether we
consider it a small one or not.
In the same way, if our houses are cluttered or dirty or our yards
unkempt, our ability to shine is diminished (Proverbs 24:30–31
makes this clear). If we are frequently late to work, or do not do a
fair day’s work when we are there (see Colossians 3:23–24), even if
we do not feel we are stealing, we are not fulfilling our
responsibility properly and our ability to be a witness may be
seriously hurt.
Perhaps the most important responsibility we can consider is
that which we have to our families. Paul emphasizes the importance
of proper parental guidance, as we saw above, and our
responsibility to our children includes not just guiding and
correcting them when necessary, but spending as much time as we
can with them. It is also vital, of course, that we recognize and
fulfill our responsibility to spend enough time with our spouses to
keep our marriages healthy and growing. Responsibility also looks
beyond our immediate families to care for and assist our parents as
they age (Matthew 15:5–6; 1 Timothy 5:4; etc.).
The principle of responsibility applies to any area of life in which
something is entrusted to us to look after in some way. First
Chronicles 9:31 tells us that “Mattithiah, the firstborn son of
Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for
baking the offering bread.” This person’s claim to fame was that
they were entrusted with something and fulfilled that responsibility.
In our families, jobs, and every aspect of our lives, how we fulfill our
responsibilities is often how people remember us, and whether our
behavior is a light to others or not.
 6. Activity:
Shining through Giving and Serving

In the last two chapters we looked at areas that are vitally important
if the light we reflect is not to be diminished. Now, in the final
chapters of this book, we can focus on the most effective ways in
which the light can grow stronger in our lives.
Two of the most important ways we can let our light shine are
through giving and serving. We will look at each of these areas in
turn, although they are really like two sides of the same coin and
often cannot be separated. Notice how both are mentioned side by
side in Jesus’ summary of his ministry: “For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a
ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Paul also shows that giving and
serving are vital parts of our opportunity to act as a light to others:
“Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others
will praise God … and for your generosity in sharing with them and
with everyone else” (2 Corinthians 9:13).
When we give, we serve; and when we serve, we give; but giving
often refers to physical material things that we have and give to
others, while serving is often understood as the use of our time and
energies for others; and we should consider both activities carefully.

Giving: At the Heart of Love

The Bible teaches generosity in the majority of its sixty-six books.

We find this constant emphasis on giving throughout the word of
God simply because giving is central to the nature of God himself –
just as we see in the best known of all New Testament scriptures:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”
(John 3:16 ESV). In this verse the apostle John shows that giving
defines God’s love: he gives because he loves.
 John also makes the connection between God’s love and our
giving in his first epistle: “If anyone has material possessions and
sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the
love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17). In the same way, we
must always remember that saying to others, “I will pray for you!”
may be an encouragement to those in need, but without tangible
acts of love, our prayers can be empty – as James warned: “If one of
you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does
nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:16).
If we are really opening our hearts to others, we will also be
opening our hands as a vital part of our Christian lives. In fact, the
apostle Paul shows that our giving to help others is of true spiritual
importance – just like the great qualities of faith and love:

Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in

knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we
inspired in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
(2 Corinthians 8:7 BSB)

It does not matter if we have very little that we can give – as long as
we do give. God notices and shines through giving at any level – as
Jesus showed in his comments regarding the poor widow who gave
a tiny offering – in her case all she had – out of her poverty (Luke
21:1–4).
It is interesting to realize just how pleased God is to see giving
occur, and how often he uses it as a light to those who do not know
him. In the story we all know of Cornelius – the Roman centurion
who was the first gentile convert – we should notice that the soldier
“gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly” and
it was this that brought him to God’s special attention as he was
told by an angelic messenger: “Your prayers and gifts to the poor
have come up as a memorial offering before God” (Acts 10:1–4). It
was through Cornelius’ giving and devotion to God that many heard
the word of God at that time (vs. 44) – and ultimately that God’s
truth spread into the whole non-Jewish world.
 In some cases we may never know what effect our own giving
may have, but if we give out of love for others, we can trust God to
use the gift wisely. We need only use wisdom in choosing where,
when, and how to give (see the free e-book The Way of Giving:
Learning to Live Generously for information on these important
aspects of giving). When we give to others, for example, through
careful selection of missionary charities, even if we do not see first-
hand the effect of the light shining in distant lands, we can know
that the light was sent out, nevertheless. Considering the often-
preferable nature of giving anonymously, that may be an ideal
situation anyway – and our gifts are just as pleasing a sacrifice to
God (Philippians 4:18), the Father of lights and gifts (James 1:17).

Service: The Many Paths of Helping

Like giving, genuine service can be a wonderful way for our light to
shine, and sincere service can often be an even greater expression of
love than giving because it involves sacrifice of the self (Philippians
2:17) in some way rather than the giving of our physical
possessions. Serving usually requires us to part with our time –
part of our very lives. As Paul wrote: “what we preach is not
ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants
for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5).
In some cases the service we give to others may be only
occasional – as in a “Good Samaritan” situation, or simply helping
someone with a difficult task. It may be as simple and momentary
as smiling and saying “hello” to someone who looks discouraged, or
it may require an investment of more time and energy – as when we
listen patiently to someone who is going through difficulties and we
try to encourage them.
But if we want to serve others as Christ did (Matthew 20:28,
Philippians 2:5–7), we should also look for opportunities to serve in
a more continual manner. For some, this may be the ongoing care
for their families or others, but if we do not have such
responsibilities, we can always find ways to serve if we look for
them. Just as there are endless opportunities to give, there are
often more opportunities to serve those around us than we can ever
fulfill, so we must choose the ways we serve carefully.
One of the best ways we can let God’s light shine is to help in
spreading the gospel to others: either directly or in a support
function – just as the New Testament tells us that some individuals
preached the word and others helped them (Luke 8:1–3; Acts 6:1–7;
etc.). But there are also dozens of ways we can give of our time to
help and serve others and also be a light to them.
For example, we can volunteer with a charity or other
organization that provides help and care for those needing
assistance in some way. Many local organizations need volunteer
help to provide services ranging from driving people without
transportation to medical appointments to helping people with
financial-related, computer-related, or other needed guidance. We
simply need to consider what knowledge, skills, or aptitudes we
have to see how we might help others – and if all we can offer is
time, many organizations will gladly accept our help and many even
train those who volunteer if necessary.
However we choose to serve, we should remember that true
service must always be focused on the real needs of others. And we
should realize that true service is not for the faint of heart. It can be
time-consuming and tiring – especially if we already have a regular
job that we work. But if we are willing to serve, God will work
through us and we may be surprised at how much can be
accomplished when God empowers us: “If anyone serves, they
should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things
God may be praised through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).
Even after we help people physically, we can still continue to
serve them by praying for them - and the more we serve others the
more we find that our prayers become focused on their needs rather
than ours. But it is also true that the more we concentrate on the
welfare and development of others, the more God can and will
develop us personally. We grow the most not through self-focused
spiritual exercises – helpful as these may be – but through the
outward focused work of love that we are all called to do. And that
is often how we can shine the most brightly, too. Notice what the
prophet Isaiah wrote: “if you spend yourselves in behalf of the
hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will
rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday”
(Isaiah 58:10).
Both giving and serving are vital parts of our opportunity to act
as a light to others. As we saw above, this was clearly emphasized
by Paul when he wrote: “Because of the service by which you have
proved yourselves, others will praise God … and for your
generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else” (2
Corinthians 9:13). Perhaps more than anything else, it is in our
giving and serving that the world may see Christ in us.
 7. Humility:
Light That Shines More Brightly
There is a final aspect to letting our lights shine that we must focus
on and keep in mind: our serving must always be done in humility
and never with a superior or “holier than thou” manner if we are to
reflect Jesus Christ’s service. The Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi
once remarked “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Sadly, that was his
experience, but if people of the world see the same humble and self-
sacrificing love that Christ exhibited, and if we “serve one another
humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13), they will be far more likely to be
drawn to the light they see.
We said at the outset of this book that we must have the right
motivation for wanting to shine more brightly with God’s love and
character. This proper attitude must be something we live in
continually, and it is through real and lasting humility that we
maintain that right mindset.
This fact is seen in a number of biblical verses that link doing
good and having a humble attitude. Most famous, perhaps, are the
words spoken by the Old Testament prophet Micah: “And what
does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and
to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Micah’s words make it
clear that we must be more than simply righteous; we must be
humble at the same time.
In the New Testament the connection is made even more directly
by the apostle James: “Who is wise and understanding among you?
Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility
that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13). Here we see specifically
that our good deeds – and anything we do to let our light shine –
must be done in humility.
This is important because many Christian books and sermons
focus on one or the other – either good works or humility – but the
Bible shows the two should never be separated. God hates spiritual
pride, and even most humans are turned off by those who do good
works with an attitude of being pleased with themselves, or who act
in a condescending or superior manner toward those they help.
This after all was the whole point of Jesus’ parable about the
Pharisee and the tax collector who both went to the temple to pray.
While the hyper-religious Pharisee saw only his own good deeds,
the tax-collector he reviled prayed in humility – more conscious of
his own failures than any good he might be doing (Luke 18:9-14).
This does not mean that we must always try to maintain a kind
of negative mental balance where we focus on our faults rather than
what God can do through us, but a real attitude of humility must be
there, nonetheless. The apostle Paul gives us good advice in this
regard in his letter to the Philippians. Keeping in mind the
following points that Paul makes can help us to maintain humility
as we strive to let God’s light shine more brightly through us.

1. We must always remember, as Paul tells us, that “it is God who
works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”
(Philippians 2:13). We should always remember the simple analogy
that no matter how brightly our light may shine, it is God who
turned on the switch and whose Spirit provides the power! By the
same token, we can never feel that we don’t need to develop
humility because we are not proud. As has been wisely said, “You
can have no greater sign of confirmed pride than when you think
you are humble enough.”

2. Paul reminds us that good deeds are not an excuse for lack of
obedience in our lives. Even Jesus – whose good deeds were far
greater than ours, of course – was still obedient in all things in his
humility: “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled
himself by becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8). As we
saw earlier, lack of obedience always destroys our ability to be a
light.
3. Paul also reminds us that we must “Do nothing out of selfish
ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). We must always be careful not to do
things in order to appear righteous (another point we made in
Chapter 1). Rather, as Paul emphasizes, we must do what we do out
of love and a sincere valuing of the needs of others above our own.

4. Paul emphasized that whenever we serve others or do good, we

should do so wholeheartedly and with joy rather than focusing on
how our actions might impact us negatively. If we look at service
through the eyes of our own pride, we will always find things to be
unhappy about. As Paul wrote: “Do everything without grumbling
or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of
God without fault’” (Philippians 2:14–5).

Finally, we should not forget, of course, that humility is more than

just an ongoing attitude regarding what we do right. Humility is
often (if not always) the best response in situations where we realize
that we have said or done something unwise or wrong. For example,
saying “I’m sorry, that was not the best way to say that” when we
have not expressed ourselves in love may sometimes require
humility, but it is infinitely better than letting interpersonal conflict
go unhealed. Humility regarding what we do wrong is part of letting
the light shine through us, too.
If we truly make humility part of our lives, God will be able to use
us without reservation, without holding back opportunities he
might otherwise have given us to serve and help others. And, if true
humility does begin to fill our lives, it may even be something that
others see as part of the light God gives us. As John Newton, the
great English clergyman and slavery abolitionist, wrote “I am
persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the
school of Christ and the brightest evidence that he is indeed our
Master.”
 CONCLUSION:
Shining More and More

“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever
brighter till the full light of day.” (Proverbs 4:18)

We saw in this book that God calls all Christians to grow in such a
way that we can become increasingly effective lights to others. Our
motivation for shining in this way must be to please God and to
better help others, but the two goals are not separate and are
directly tied to the destiny to which every Christian is called.
The more we please God, the more we can be a helpful light; and
the more we help others, the more we please God. We see this in
the beautiful and inspiring words found in the book of Daniel:
“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens,
and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever
and ever” (Daniel 12:3). Or, as Jesus himself said, “Then the
righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears, let them hear” (Matthew 13:43).
That is the true extent of the Christian calling – not just to be
converted and to become churchgoers, but to become servants of
God who work joyfully to serve as lights and to further God’s plan
for us and for all his children. That is our true destiny, as Paul wrote
– for God “has qualified [us] to share in the inheritance of his holy
people in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12).
If we are new Christians, we can ask God to help us become true
lights. If we are established believers, we can ask him to make us
better and brighter lights. With God’s help, all of us can shine with a
brighter light – Always!
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