let your light so shine

February 23, 2005

as i was sitting in the jacuzzi last friday, i was looking at the glass bricks. most mornings, as the sun rises, the rays reflect off the glass, creating a beautiful composition of sparkling bricks. as you look at the bricks and move your head, the light dances. it dazzles, it twinkles. truly a feast for the eyes.

that week, i had been saturating myself in a new song sung at 7:22 (written by alex nifong in prior weeks). i'm unsure of the title, but it goes like this:

You are the light of the world
A city on a hill that can't be hid
You are the salt of the earth
For all the world to taste and see

Let your light so shine before all men
That they may glorify your Father
Glorify your Father
Let your light so shine before all men
That they may glorify your Father
Glorify your Father above

Let the whole world sing
Glory to our King
For all eternity
Let the anthem ring

not all the glass bricks sparkle. some of them aren't directly in the path of the light. but for the ones that do, you're drawn to them and can't help but notice their presence. maybe because they contrast greatly from the non-sparkling bricks or maybe it's because the actual sparkle is a thing of beauty.

as i stared at these bricks, i thought back to this song. it was God's of way visually demonstrating the essence of the song to me. i love that. God knows the best way to communicate with us, since after all, He did make us. and as i've learnt over the past four years, i am a visual person. or to put it in another way, i see things better when i see them (this is a line i said during a creative meeting at church back in july. my friends got a good kick out of it).

i pray that as my university years at york comes to a close, i've made a difference in the lives around me. i pray that i've reflected and magnified my Creator in all things, and that at the end of it all, my friends have seen the light of Christ. i pray that my life has not been simply one of a "nice guy," but one that shines of the love of God. i pray that i've impacted those around me for the cause of Christ.

in retrospect, i know that God has done this. i've had the privilege of engaging in conversations with my peers, in which they've said "you're like the nicest guy i've ever met" or "if you ever need anything, and i do mean anything, let me know." it's been very encouraging. one of them happened just before reading week. my friend needed a ride home after class, so she asked me if i would, offering to pay me. i politely declined and said i'd only drive if her if she didn't pay me. as i dropped her off at home, she was really appreciative and said i was the nicest guy she ever met. wow. that week, i had been thinking about whether my life in design has made any difference at all. God gently reminded me that i have through her words.

heading into university, i realized i had wasted my time in high school. i choose to isolate myself from non-Christians and only surround myself with Christian friends. God convicted me of that. i decided that i would not let university be the same. i would make every opportunity as best i could to live the life God called me to. to reflect the wonder and beauty of the Cross through the life i lived. to magnify the love of Christ to those around me. to pursue excellence that i might glorify Him, and to win the respect of my peers, thereby giving me more authority to speak to them (how can your peers respect you as a person if you are unable to do well in your program? you can't.).

as this chapter of life slowly winds down, i hope the friendships that have forged will continue. i pray that God would use my pursuit of excellence for His glory. i've learnt that most people find it 'strange' that i pursue excellence in design, even though i don't like it, but do so because of my desire to do whatever i do for the glory of God (see colossians 3:17 & 3:23). i'm talking about Christians here. but i'm praying that from this, that God would use the fact that i'm going to seminary next year to "shock" my friends. i'd love that.

friends, we are the light of the world. but this is a choice we make. some Christians are like those ordinary, dull, bricks, who profess their devotion to Christ with their mouths, but do not do so with their lives. their light is dim, unseen by the world. but if we choose to live by faith, to live the life God has called us to, our light shines brightly. we sparkle and dazzle. people will take notice and be drawn to the light that shines in us. it's not on our own merit by which this happens, but because Christ dwells in us. the love of God draws people. Christ draws people. let us life the live that magnifies, glorifies and reflects Him.

"you are the light of the world. a city on a hill cannot be hidden. neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. in the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" - matthew 5:15-16 [NIV]

Posted by Leo Chan at February 23, 2005 10:46 AM