Let your light so shine

In Christ's Sermon on the Mount He says, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16 ).

Light is wonderful.  It gets brighter the closer to the source one gets.  Light when not prohibited will light up the area it is into different degrees.  When a "bushel" for example covers it the light is blocked from lighting up its surroundings. 

What bushels do we put over our light?  It could be the fear of rejection, popularity, acceptance, or something being too hard.  Might I suggest we remove those things which keep the light of Christ from spreading to every heart, people, family, city, and country.

Marianne Williamson in her poem Our Greatest Fear I think says it best.  

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,

talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other

people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of

God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,

we unconsciously give other people

permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,

Our presence automatically liberates others.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  As we do we give others permission to do the same.  Christ lives and wants us to shine forth the light of Christ that is in each of us.