4 Ways to Shine the Light of Jesus in the World Today

By Jessica Brodie

When I was a young girl, my dad needed to see something tiny in a car he was working on, so he asked me to grab a flashlight. Proud to have a job, I snagged the light and ran it out to him, flipping it on and holding it as close to the engine as I could get it.

“Nope, hold it back a little. Like this,” he said, showing me.

I noticed that when I held the light at a slight distance, it lit up the whole area instead of just one tiny spot. Too far away, and it cast shadows. Too close, and I couldn’t see enough. There was a certain way to shine that light, and my dad knew it.

It’s the same way with us as Christians. There’s a way to shine our light that brings maximum effect—a way that showcases God’s glory instead of our own.

Last week I shared some key reasons why we should shine God’s light, as Jesus instructed in Matthew 5:14–16. As he tells his disciples:

“You are the light of the world. A town built 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 others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV).

But sometimes, even when we really want to shine that light, we don’t know how. Here are four ways we can shine the light of Christ in the world today:

1. Through how we live

Our character and our quiet, everyday actions can point to God in big ways:

Living with integrity, so our whole life reflects God consistently
Showing patience even when it’s hard
Showing empathy and mercy when someone needs it
Serving quietly, without expecting recognition or reward
Loving others in a way that’s visibly different (Jesus said in John 13:35, “They will know you are Christians by your love”)

2. Through what we say and share

Our words and our platform also help others see the light of Christ:

Speaking kindly to ordinary people in ordinary moments—yes, even that grumpy Walmart cashier
Using our words intentionally, since they carry weight
Sharing on social media in a way that points to God rather than ourselves
Writing—articles, blog posts, fiction, our testimony—as a vehicle for pointing people to Christ
Sharing photos or videos that reflect that same purpose

3. Through using whatever’s already in our hands

We already have certain gifts. The question is whether we’re using them for our own gain or to point others toward the Lord. Consider how you might use:

A skill you have, even one you’ve never thought of as “ministry”
A conversation you’re positioned to have
A specific ministry or service you’re already part of

4. By not hiding it

Maybe you’ve heard of the sin of commission—things we do that go against God’s ways, like stealing—versus the sin of omission, things we fail to do, like neglecting someone in need. It’s the same with shining the light. Sometimes we keep the good stuff God is doing in our lives quiet. Maybe we think sharing it will sound like bragging. Maybe we’re embarrassed because it exposes our weakness. Maybe we assume no one’s interested. But Scripture tells us people don’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl—they shine it.

Resist the urge to stay quiet out of fear of seeming like you’re bragging
Recognize that you already are the light—present tense, not something to become—so the task isn’t to manufacture light, but to stop concealing it

That’s the same lesson my dad taught me with that flashlight all those years ago. Held too close, the light only blinds and casts shadows—it makes everything about the light itself. Held back and positioned right, it illuminates everything around it, and nobody even thinks about the flashlight. They just see what it’s revealing.

That’s our job too. Hold the light back enough that people see what God is doing—not the hand holding the tool. Let’s shine it well.

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