[Songs in the Night - May 19]
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
NOTHING in this text guarantees that the world
would receive the message, either from our Lord Jesus
or from his followers.
We are, nevertheless, to let
our light shine as he let his light shine, though the
darkness comprehend it not.
The thought seems to be
that while some may resist the light because their
deeds are evil, nevertheless there are others by whom
the message may be differently received.
Therefore
we are to "let our light so shine before men that they
may see our good works,"—whether they account for
these works properly or evilly.
Some may appreciate
and see.
Those who opposed our Lord were not of the
common people, but of those who specially claimed to
be the people of God, the scribes and Pharisees, who
were not living up to their own recognized standards.
These felt reproved.
They realized that Jesus' teaching
was of a higher order. Z'11-23 R4746:3 (Hymn 45)