Learning to Shine

My Utmost For His Highest

‘One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace of God is that you can be totally humiliated before others without displaying even the slightest trace of anything but His grace.  “. . . having nothing . . . .” Never hold anything in reserve. Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor. Never be diplomatic and careful with the treasure God gives you. “. . . and yet possessing all things”— this is poverty triumphant’ CHAMBERS

Have you ever wondered why some particular thing was happening to you, repeatedly … I mean why did God allow this into your life … what was He trying to teach you.  That has happened to me … a number of friends asked me .. why are you  so patient in this?  Good question, I thought.  Then I read this devotion … and the light came on!  God was teaching me humility through a very unpleasant circumstance.  God uses life to teach is spiritual truth .. .to shape us.

When I say that I want my life to reflect Jesus. Do I really?  [ A side note … I have noticed that phrases/words pop up in conversations every so often that seem to sweep the nation …. Heavy … Dude …Righteous …  Cool … Boss … Awesome …Sweet … and now it is Really?  And Seriously?]  Ok back to my point.

If I want to be like Jesus then I have to ask, ‘What is Jesus like?’    Acts 8:32-33  The place in the Scripture which he [the Ethiopian eunuch] read was this: "HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH.  (33)  IN HIS HUMILIATION HIS JUSTICE WAS TAKEN AWAY, AND WHO WILL DECLARE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH."

Oh that, is what Jesus is like. Am I willing to be silent like Jesus.. and in the culmination of my humility will I say “Father forgive them.”? Galatians 2:20  'I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.'

God is teaching me to be like Jesus by giving me opportunities to reveal the Christ-life in that is in me.  Remember the children’s song .. ‘Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine!’  Hide what?  The light and life of Christ in you.  How do we let it shine?  Through the opportunities that living in a fallen world brings us …

So the next time you run into a situation where your flesh demands a response but your Spirit says .. be silent … yield to the Spirit .. .and let your light shine into the darkness.

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)