Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV):  “You are the light of the world. A city 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 men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

There is no such thing as a “secret Christian.”  By definition, those who come to God, those He saves, He intentionally puts on display, so that their changed lives will testify boldly about Who God is and what He has done for them.  It happens that way most of the time in many other nations.  When someone receives God’s forgiveness, their first impulse is to tell others immediately:  family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, even perfect strangers.  They become a lamp set out on its stand so that everyone can see its light.  They become a city set on a hill, the New Jerusalem, and everyone can see its glory.

The concept of a secret Christian is anathema to God.  The man who first came up with the idea of having people make their commitment to Jesus “with every head bowed and every eye closed” so that their decision could be “private” was dead wrong.  (Try to find that example in the New Testament!)  It gives people permission to keep their faith, their decision to follow Jesus, secret; to hide their lamp under a bowl so that it is not visible to anyone else; to put the city on the hill under a blackout order so that it won’t be visible to any enemies that might be nearby.  Somehow, to both the preachers and the converts, it seems safer to do things that way.

Christianity is dangerous.  It is the nature of the spiritual universe that obvious light will be attacked by the darkness in an effort to snuff it out.  It was tried with Jesus, and it will be tried with His followers as well.  But if the light will simply shine, and shine boldly, the darkness doesn’t stand a chance!  If the lamp is put under a bowl, it quickly goes out due to lack of air.  If a city turns out all the lights, it becomes a dangerous place in which to go out at night.  If the light is hidden, damped down, or dimmed, out of fear, the darkness wins by default!

God’s people need to rediscover the kids’ song:  This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!  Hide it under a bushel?  No!  I’m going to let it shine!  Shine all over the neighborhood; I’m going to let it shine!  Won’t let satan blow it out; I’m going to let it shine!  Let it shine till Jesus comes; I’m going to let it shine!  Simple truths, but solid truths.  And when God’s people have rediscovered the truth behind this song, they need to live it!

Father, thank You for Your abundant love for us.  Lord, help us to really shine in our dark world with all of Your holy light.  Help us to turn on every light in our city on the hill.  Help us to boldly stand out, so that our lives, our love, our every thought, word, and deed, glorify You every day.  Amen!