Enjoying our evening out, we waited for our waitress to come to our table. When she approached, her cheerful demeanor brought an immediate connection, even though we had just met her. However, as our dinner progressed, my husband and I picked up on the self-deprecating comments interjected in her words each time she checked on us. Boldly, we spoke about God’s beauty in her and asked to pray with her. I was surprised the next morning to find a friend request from her on my Facebook page. Neither my husband nor I had told her our names or the name of the church where we serve.
The world is longing for hope, and we’re God’s ambassadors of it. When Jesus showed up, people had the opportunity to choose whether they would run to Him for their answers or continue to depend on their own efforts (Matthew 14:36, 15:2). The same is true today. The only difference is that the presence of God is made visible through our lives, not by our own efforts but through the presence of the Holy Spirit working in and through us.
Is hope a vibrant, revealed thing in our lives? Matthew 5:15-16 tells us, “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Jesus revealed that He uses our words and actions to help others see Him (Acts 4:13).
Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees (Matthew 15:1) shows a poignant certainty. Who we are is more important than how we sometimes view ourselves. The quality of a light isn’t determined by the depth of darkness, but by the Source of its gleam (Philippians 2:15).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 1:5-25
More:
Read Ephesians 5:8-20 and consider the attributes of a transformed believer in Jesus.
Next:
In what ways do your words and actions point others to Jesus? How can you address areas where you’re missing the mark?
Gary Shultz on June 6, 2016 at 6:32 am
Hi Regina, I hope you have some summer time to enjoy and refresh. Thank God that He gave you both insight into a life. To give hope you must know hope, to give light you must have experienced it shining. I had to crock-pot that last paragraph for a while. I do think it can be applied to your friend and to the Pharisees. One was over, one was under in evaluating themselves. One saw the darkness in themselves, one saw others as darkness. The light shone to both, how and who will use it’s illumination? I think we must always be aware of how we reflect that light and be working on it’s gleaming. Thanks Regina, see “dinning out” may be a ministry, you’ll get a lot of “buy in” there.
hsnpoor on June 6, 2016 at 10:45 am
Very insightful observation, Gary, about the Pharisees over-evaluating themselves (and under-evaluating others) and the waitress under-evaluating herself (and probably over-evaluating others). We’ve all got cracks in our pots somewhere, huh? Thank God, for Jesus! I love the crockpot comment as well!
Regina Franklin on June 18, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Dear Gary–good insight–“The light shone to both” but it is our choice as to whether we will walk in the light or stay hidden in the shadowlands.
Tim Gustafson on June 6, 2016 at 10:14 am
Regina, you and your husband were Jesus to this person. It’s the little things that make a big difference!
street on June 6, 2016 at 11:00 am
“Who we are is more important than how we sometimes view ourselves”
i find this tension at work in the christian life, the tension of being a wretch and an adopted son of God. i understand God wins. it’s just sometimes i view myself incorrectly and get into all kinds of trouble. i can see where denying yourself and taking up your cross, puts the wretch in it’s place, then it is time to follow, the true Son. you can not do this apart from faith hope and love.
hsnpoor on June 8, 2016 at 2:41 am
You can not do it apart from Christ. Sometimes we place our faith, hope and love in the wrong place or on the wrong things. But scripture tells us we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5), but ALL things with Him (Phil 4:13). Phil 1:6 tells us that the good work Christ began in us, HE will see to completion. So, let us pray as John The Baptist did (John 3:30) that we might decrease that Christ would increase. That’s a prayer that I believe our savior will honor over and above all that what we could think or imagine.
Regina Franklin on June 18, 2016 at 12:39 pm
Dear Street–I love what you’ve said–that when we view ourselves incorrectly we “get into all kinds of trouble.” How very true–and explicitly why the enemy tries so diligently to lie to us about who we are. Imagine the damage we do to the kingdom of darkness when we know who we are . . .
godlove on June 6, 2016 at 11:31 am
“The quality of a light isn’t determined by the depth of darkness, but by the Source of its gleam” – great line Regina, I’m keeping this quote. I like the story of your meeting and witnessing to that waitress. Sometimes our smallest and sometimes insignificant-looking gestures can make a big difference to people when they see the Light of Christ shining through us. As believers, we are truly Christ’s ambassadors and it’s a 24/7 duty, no leave, no break or holiday. It’s a big responsibility because you never know which “little” deed may transform an onlooker’s life (one way or the other). May God use His Spirit in us to make His light shine through us to the world, for the glory of His Name.
Regina Franklin on June 18, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Thank you, godlove. Yes, we are His ambassadors 24/7 but the Lord brings with that thought a sweet sense of peace because that means we are His sons and daughters 24/7. It is a part of our being, our make-up, our very DNA that has been regenerated through the blood of Jesus. Responsibility and privilege intertwined through His great love for us. What an incredible thought!