Shine - Part 1

We have recently been learning a song at church called “Shine”, and I can’t get it out of my head! The words are “Shine, from the inside out, that the world will see you live in me.” If you’ve heard this very catchy song too, then I’m sorry that you’ll likely have it going around your head today too!
 
But it got me thinking, what does it mean to shine? How do we shine out Jesus?
 
Things shine for two reasons.  Either they have a source of power inside them that generates light, like a torch, or a candle, or the sun;  or they reflect the light from something else, like water reflecting the light of the sun, or a mirror reflecting the light from a window.
 
As Christians, I think we can shine out the light of Jesus in both of these ways! We reflect His light and love in who we are, and what we say and do.  When we try to mirror Him and live lives that imitate His compassion and care and sense of justice, we reflect who He is.
 
But we don’t just reflect Jesus though, because we also have the power of Him living in us.  He is a source of power in us that generates light.  With the Holy Spirit living in us we can pray and respond to situations in a way that is beyond our human limits because of His power at work within us. And we see this kind of supernatural shining in the grace and forgiveness of people like Corrie Ten Boom or Desmond Tutu. When we read their stories, many of us will think “How? How did they respond with such grace?”  Or how did Mother Teresa sacrifice so much for the poor? With God at work in us the supernatural is possible. We can love beyond our human limits.
 
The song reminds me of the time when Jesus was transfigured up on the mountain and was shining so brightly that His disciples were dazzled. Wow, what an amazing privilege to be able to shine out Jesus’ love!
 
Prayer - Lord God, thank you that you want to shine out your love through us. Help me to reflect You in all I say and do, and help me to love beyond my limits. Help me to shine.  Amen.
 
Photo by Silas Baisch on Unsplash