MATTHEW 5:16
"Let your light shine before others,
That they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Has anyone ever said to you, or have you heard it said to others: "you look just like your father" or "that's just what your mother used to say." It's true sometimes, right? As offspring - think literally of that word - we can't help it! We've inherited attributes that are reminiscent of our fleshly creators.
The Bible tells us that we have been adopted by God as his children, when we believe.
Romans 9:8 “This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”
Romans 8:17 And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.
Through Christ, we become "children of the promise", and are counted as offspring. So not only are we blessed to be adopted by Him, but we are transformed into literal offspring - and not just any offspring, but HEIRS of a rich inheritance - in fact, CO-HEIRS with Christ Himself!
So this begs the question: what traits do you exude that reflect upon your Heavenly Creator? When someone looks at you, will they say, "I see your Father in you." or "You and your Brother [Christ] are just alike!"
Let's back up a couple verses here for a deeper insight into our resemblance:
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
This is Christ Himself addressing us (immediately following the Sermon on the Mount, by the way...). CHRIST is telling us that WE are the Light of the World! How often do we read in scripture about Christ being the Light...did you know that, from the mouth of the Light Himself, we too are the Light of the world? If we know this, if we are proud of our heritage, how can we not let it shine? How can we receive this inheritance and sit on it, like a dragon in a cave, hoarding piles of gold and jewels?
But what does it mean to be the Light of the world? How can we shine? I turned to the Amplified Version of the verse, which unpacks it a bit. It says:
"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your moral excellence, and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds, and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
And if you still wonder what those statements specifically mean, read his Word and you will become familiar with your Father's ways. Plus, you can always follow the example of your Big Brother Jesus.