Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, June 5, 2020

Jesus said: "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."¹

Many years ago when growing up in Australia, I still remember the following ditty shared by a vititing American evangelist:

     He who whispers down a well
     About the things he has to sell,
     Doesn't get as many dollars
     As he who climbs a tree and hollers!

Have you ever noticed that the vast majority of non-church people aren't knocking down our doors in a rush to hear us preach the gospel? At least I've never seen it anywhere I've lived.

It's like an old preacher friend of mine used to say, "You don't catch fish in the bathtub. You go where the fish are."

With the ongoing acts of evil in our world and the growing rejection of Christianity, God and the Bible, plus the accelerated acceptance of anti-Christian religions—if ever there was a time when we Christians need to hear God's wake-up call and let our voices be heard and let our light shine, it's today.

But whether it's in secular business or God's business, he who whispers down a well is not going to get a hearing. And he who fishes in the bathtub isn't going to catch any fish! Or he who hides his light under a basket isn't going to have it seen!

As Christians we need to do everything in our power to abate the forces of evil by demonstrating and communicating the love of God and the gospel message of Jesus Christ in some way to every life we touch and to all people everywhere.

However, to win some we need to be winsome—that is, before people will listen to our message, they need to see Jesus in us and in so doing, want Jesus for themselves.

Remember the kid's song we used to sing in Sunday school: "See this little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine, See this little light of mine, I'm going to let shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine." Not under a basket. Not down a well. But in everything we do, wherever we go, and by every legitimate means available to us.

Remember too, that all the darkness (evil) in the world cannot put out the light of even the smallest candle!

May God help each of us to be candles for Jesus and let our light shine 'til he comes!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to stop, stand still, and listen—with my heart—and hear your wake-up call and do everything I can to let my light shine and thereby demonstrate Your message of love and salvation to every life I touch. Help me too, to do what I can to support, not only my church, but missionaries and those who are taking Your message of love and salvation to the ends of the earth. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Matthew 5:15 (NKJV).

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