You are a Light
When I grew up, we lived near a grocery store that was close enough to walk to, so it was pretty common to run over there and buy something on a whim. One Sunday early afternoon, around age 12 or 13, while wandering the grocery store aisles, my eyes met a neighbor boy a few years older than me dressed up in church clothes. It was apparent where he had just been. I didn’t go to church and didn’t know the Lord, but just looking at him, my young heart was pricked. Convicted. Guilty. He innocently stood for something I didn’t have, just by being at the store dressed the part. I didn’t even know any Bible truth that I may have rejected, but I sure knew I didn’t measure up to something. The impression he left was so powerful, I clearly remember it now, decades later.
I thought of that incident when I read the following verses: “Therefore seeing we have this ministry (ministers of the New Testament, 2 Cor. 3:6), as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor. 4:1-2)
How does that relate, you wonder?
→…by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. That word manifestation means “action that embodies.” My actions that embody the truth affects the conscience of others. Read that sentence again with that understanding. The quiet testimony of some piece of my life that unsaved people happen to see may prick their conscience, just like that boy dressed up in his church clothes at the grocery store. To this day, when I stop at the store on the way home from church, I’m aware that I’m dressed differently than everyone else, and I’m aware that I’m representing Christ visually—because of my experience as a youngster.
→The middle part of the passage above says, But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully. I notice that these actions… have renounced…not walking…nor handling, are present tense. Paul assumes we are already living the correct way. This isn’t presented as a command about how to walk. It is stating how we are already walking. And here I want to give the Spirit of God credit. When He comes into our life, He changes us from the inside out (2 Cor. 5:17). He works within us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Therefore, while we walk around with our changed lives, we embody the truth, and people are watching and getting convicted. What I’m trying to say is, just by being surrendered, obedient Christians, we are a testimony. We are presently commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
I don’t even have an admonition to end with. Praise God He has made us little lights that shine for Him everywhere we go. What people do with that light… the next two verses talk about that (2 Cor. 4:3-4). You might want to look at those and tell me what you think.
Jody