Let your light shine before others

How difficult it is to be in our homes and not have electricity or not even have a lamp to light it and put it in a place where our home illuminates, it is also difficult to drive and not have lights in the car (which is illegal) or that the street lamps are off. This must be very difficult and we all know it, since light is something essential to be able to shine in the midst of darkness. Who of us likes to live in darkness?

Jesus said:

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 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.

16 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

The introductory text has been a way for us to understand what this passage that Jesus expressed means. The first thing is that Jesus says: “You are the light of the world.” In the same way that a light shines in our homes and in the city, we also shine in this world, in what way can we enlighten our society? We can do it through our works, through our actions, showing them the love of God.

We can not go around the world showing ourselves as equal people to non-believers, we must, with our acts, put on high the Word of God, that they understand that there is something different in us, something that can give them light, something that can bring them from the darkness to the light. We must think about this every moment of our short life, think and say: In what way can I shine in my society?

Something very important that we can also get out of here is: “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”. This means that if we are really the light of this world we can not be isolated, we can not be hidden where those who are in darkness can not see us, we have to be visible, expressing the Word of God with our actions and with our words.

Friends, let us light up in the midst of this world that is going downhill for sin and let our light shine before all, so that our good works may be seen, and everyone may glorify our Father who is in heaven, as our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:16.

Light is indispensable in every aspect of life. It guides, reveals, protects, and allows us to move forward with confidence. In the same way, Jesus uses this universal truth to explain our identity and purpose. When He says, “You are the light of the world,” He is not giving us a suggestion—He is declaring who we are in Him. Just as darkness cannot resist light, spiritual darkness cannot resist a believer who reflects the character of Christ.

When we shine, it is not our own brilliance that people see—it is Christ shining through us. Our attitudes, our compassion, our patience, our honesty, our integrity, our humility, and our kindness all become beams that cut through the moral and spiritual darkness of this present age. Many people may never read a Bible, but they will observe our lives, and through our conduct they will either be drawn to the truth or pushed away from it.

This is why Jesus emphasizes visibility. A city on a hill cannot hide; its lights are seen from afar. Likewise, a lamp is not created to be covered. Lamps are built for one purpose: to illuminate. Hiding it would be absurd. In the same way, a Christian who hides his faith, who silences the gospel in his life, or who blends into the world loses his purpose. We are called to stand firm, to shine, to be living testimonies of grace.

Our society is darkened by confusion, sin, and falsehood. People walk without direction, stumbling in the shadows of moral relativism, selfishness, pride, and hopelessness. As believers, we are placed in this world not to condemn it, but to guide it toward the One who can save. Our light must show the way—through love, through service, through truth, through the gospel we live and proclaim.

This calling is not optional. Jesus tells us to let our light shine *so that* others may see our good works and glorify the Father. Our purpose is not to shine for our own glory, but for God’s. When people see genuine love, forgiveness, generosity, and holiness in us, they see the reflection of Christ—and that leads them to glorify God.

So, dear friends, let us not retreat or hide. The darker the world becomes, the brighter the light of Christ shines through His people. Let us walk boldly, intentionally, joyfully, knowing that every act of righteousness, every word of truth, and every display of love is a beam of light piercing through darkness. And may our lives be a continuous testimony that leads many to glorify our Father who is in heaven.