Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
“The Bible calls the good man’s [or woman’s] life a light; and it is the nature of light to flow out spontaneously in all directions, and fill the world unconsciously with its beams. So the Christian shines it would say, not so much because he [or she] will, as because he [or she] is a luminous object.
Not that the active influence of Christians is made of no account in the figure, but only that this symbol of light has its propriety in the fact that their unconscious influence is the chief influence, and has the precedence in its power over the world.
The outward endeavors made by good men or bad to sway others, they call their influence; whereas it is, in fact, but a fraction, and, in most cases, but a very small fraction of the good or evil that flows out of their lives.”
Horace Bushnell (1802-1876) Congregational minister in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 350.
Special thanks to Sophie and Jenni for the new Meditations header photo. They took this picture yesterday on a beautiful hike at Torrey Pines. Sammy and I arrived here late last night.
We are together as a family in Southern California and so thankful for how Sophie “shines” for Jesus out here! What about you? Does light generously flow out of your life? Are you a luminous object?