Shine Brighter

In the same way, let your light shine among men that they might see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
--Matthew 5:16

Last week as I was leaving a friend's home after an evening visit my car failed to start. Not being much of a mechanic, I was confused thinking, "What in the world?". So I attempted to turn my key in the ignition once more, ok, several more times, and got nothing. Only then did it occur to me that just maybe my car battery was shot. Thankfully, my friend is married to a very nice man who, when I knocked on their door, offered to help me take care of it.

It was when he was under the hood of my car that his wife brought out a Maglite flashlight so he could see better. I recalled that I had one as well and so I dug it out and had the two lights shining side by side. The difference between the two lights shining was striking. While my torch was also a Maglite brand, it wasn't a LED like my friends. In all actuality, we didn't even need my light, theirs was sufficient.

That got me to thinking about how brightly I am shining. Am I shining a dull light that does the job adequately or am I a beacon that shines beyond the immediate surroundings revealing the finer details of what a relationship with Jesus looks like? Have you ever wondered that or am I the only one?

If I am the former rather than the latter, what is making my life dull? Is there a behavior that needs adjusting? A habit broken? A relationship nurtured? A dream dusted off?

I think that this is where accountability with another individual can have a huge impact on how brightly I am shining. Every month I contact my discipleship coach and reflect on how the month is going. I love this relationship I have because it forces me to evaluate my behavior and thought patterns and adjust accordingly.

But I also like to hear the voices of my friends providing me feedback because they are the ones who watch me and interact with me on a more frequent basis. Their evaluation of me can be powerful too. I hope that I am just as good as mirror as some of my friends are with me.

Later on last week, a lovely friend graciously gave me a note said that she could "see Him" in my actions. It's this kind of encouragement that not only gives me a boost of confidence, but also challenges me to do the same for another. As a result my circle of friends and I will all shine brighter.

So here's my challenge to you...Evaluate yourself. Ask a trusted friend to listen to what you have to say; ask that friend to give you feedback too. Then grab a girlfriend and share with her a word or two of encouragement.

Let's shine brightly, together.