The Glow Isn’t for You

"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." – Matthew 5:16
 
We live in a time where everything gets filtered, edited, and shared. We track likes and followers, trying to prove that we are doing something meaningful. Even in church circles, it’s easy to confuse spotlight with significance. You might be doing good things. Serving. Helping. Leading. But if the spotlight stays on you, it misses the point entirely.
 
Jesus made it clear. Let your light shine. But not so that people are impressed with you. The goal is not your image, it is His glory. When Jesus said those words in Matthew, He was talking to everyday people. Farmers. Fishermen. Moms and dads. He was not addressing a stage full of influencers. He was saying that your everyday life can reflect heaven if you let it.
 
But here’s the key. The kind of light that glorifies God is different from the kind that glorifies you. God’s light is marked by humility, not ego. It is steady, not loud. It draws people in, not by performance, but by peace. When your life points upward instead of inward, people do not just see your good works. They see the God who empowers them.
 
This is not about hiding or shrinking back. Jesus did not say be dim. He said shine. Boldly, brightly, consistently. But shine in a way that makes people curious about Him, not captivated by you.
 
When your kindness softens someone’s anger. When your forgiveness makes no sense. When your joy shows up in the middle of hardship. That is when your light is shining best. The light God put in you was never meant to be a performance. It was meant to be a signpost. And the best lights always point to something greater.