Do The Good

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

In some ways, I "cut my eye teeth", in my Christian walk, in the St. James Episcopal Church in Dexter, Michigan. This verse, the words of Jesus, was read every week as part of the sermon. 

Where there is darkness, we are desperate for light. We need it to keep from going crazy. And in a world that is anything but sane, it is a small step to attribute it to us being in darkness. 

If the world is dark, and it is, and you hold the light of Christ in your hands . . . then why do you not hold it up so that it produces the most light, for the most people?

Christians are under attack these days, perhaps more than at any other time in my life, if not in modern history. Our response has been to argue back, to pass laws, to get involved in political scraps. We go on TV and appear angry and even hateful. Meanwhile, our marriages fail, we mistreat employees, we spend more money on ourselves, for stuff we do not need. We present a face to the world, of a culture that is hedonistic and narcissistic.

Shine the light of Christ to the world of darkness. Jesus says that this is something that is seen by others. The light shines through our deeds of love and service. And the more we share, the more we love, the more we give, the more we sacrifice, the louder is our testimony and more compelling our arguments. Then, people have nothing else to do but honor God who inspired us to such good works.

Drop the arguments. Do the good.