The Shining

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

THE SHINING

Mark 4:21-23

21 He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

NIV

We know what Jesus means by this because we have all the other accounts of his saying this but it is recorded slightly different. But the nevertheless we should pay attention. Jesus is surely shining brightly telling the truth to all, showing what the gospel message is all about. He is bringing to light the wrong religious patterns of the Pharisees, He is bringing to light the sin which is in each person, He is shining the light of truth in every situation he encounters. The light exposes anything that is hidden in the dark. If we think we can hide anything from Jesus we are only fooling ourselves. In the same manner Jesus is also telling us that because we have the Spirit, that he has poured out his Spirit into them, into us, that we are now the light of the world and that we must not hide it under the bed. We have an obligation, no a privilege to shine our light on things that at hidden. Surely we should not get into a judgmental attitude thinking we are light and others are in the dark hiding their sin, and we need to yell at them, judge them, and tell them how horrible their sin is. But we should shine with the love of Jesus, with the truth of Jesus, living rightly and simply telling the wonderful news of the free gift of God. This good news with do the exposing within the hearts of men, it is not up to us to judge them, or to expose them. This good news will show them within themselves, it will reveal inwardly into the darkness of their hearts, as it did, and still does in our hearts. All people, including us, try to conceal bad behavior, and deeds, bad attitudes, but the truth will always bring those things out into the open. We should let our light shine both in our lives and for the lives of others who still need to see this light as we do. Living our faith out loud out in the open, not being silent, but being forthright about what we believe. We need to stand tall, on a stand, shining the light of truth, not just in words but in our life as well, by the way we live, not in the shadow of the check lists, but in the way we live out our faith. We need to shine.