Anchor Verse
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
In a Nutshell
Our unique differences are meant to shine as lights in the darkness, bringing glory to God and drawing others to Him through our authentic expression of His character.
Unpacking the Word
When Jesus called us to let our light shine, He wasn’t asking us to all shine in exactly the same way. Just as different types of lights serve different purposes—from a spotlight’s focused beam to a lantern’s gentle glow—our unique ways of reflecting Christ’s light are valuable and necessary.
The sermon shared how one person’s mere presence could change the atmosphere of a workplace without saying a word about their faith. This illustrates how our authentic difference, when embraced and lived out naturally, can have a profound impact on our environment. We don’t need to force or manufacture our influence—we simply need to be who God created us to be.
Looking back at the lives of biblical characters, we see how God used their unique qualities—Moses’ leadership, David’s creativity, Paul’s intellect, Peter’s boldness—to shine His light in different ways. Each one reflected a different facet of God’s character, reaching different people in different ways.
Pause and Reflect
- How does your unique personality and gifting reflect a specific aspect of God’s character?
- In what ways has God used your differences to shine His light in situations where others might not have been able to?
- What might be dimming your unique light from shining as brightly as it could?
Faith in Action
- Identify one specific way your unique qualities can shine God’s light in your current circumstances.
- Look for an opportunity to encourage someone else to let their unique light shine more brightly.
- Make a commitment to stop hiding aspects of your God-given uniqueness that could be used to glorify Him.
A Moment with God
Focus your prayer on asking God to help you shine your unique light more boldly and to use your differences to draw others to Him.
We encourage you to use the comments to share your most significant takeaway from this week’s devotionals, how you’ve been challenged, and what God is revealing to you about your spiritual journey.
All of this week’s devotionals are based on the sermon Pastor Shantel shared on Sunday, February 2, 2025 – Our Difference Makes a Difference.
Click on the thumbnail to watch the sermon
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