Shine!

Matthew 5:16 (New International Version)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

There is a worm in New Zealand called the glowworm (Arachnocampa luminosa). It actually isn't a worm at all, but an insect, but it gets its name because in its larvae stage and pupa stage, it glows in the dark!

These bugs attract numerous tourists to the Waitomo Caves, where millions of them can be seen hanging from ceilings and walls. Who would have thought that people would actually pay to look at bugs! Don't we have enough of them in our own back yards?

If you take the boat trip in the caves however, you enter into a different world. No pictures can be taken, but what you will see will fill you with awe for a lifetime. Looking at the ceilings you will see these bugs shine. Because there are so many of them, it's as if you are looking at the night time sky, alit with millions of beautiful stars, swaying delicately from side to side.

Why do glowworms shine? As they hatch from their eggs, the glowworm builds a nest and produces a sticky substance in the shape of threads. These threads, swaying out over the water, "light up" to attract their food -- the abundant insects in the wet, dark cave. The light emitted comes from a chemical reaction of Luciferin, Luciferase, Adenosine triphosphate and Oxygen. Imagine all of those chemicals in such a tiny bug! With all that, they really can't help but shine!

The same is true for every follower of Christ

We can't help but shine, because our lives were meant to shine! How? By being who we are: followers of the Christ!

This kind of shining, which is our purpose in this life, will draw us closer to the Lover of our soul. It will also dim any temptation that may come our way. Have you noticed that the devil will try to create any kind of obsession in order to keep us from shining? And those who stay discouraged do not shine because of the remaining obsessions with things that they were never supposed to be distracted by in the first place!

Our purpose to shine is not for God's benefits, and though it does benefit others, this is also not the purpose for us to shine. We are to shine in order to benefit ourselves! Doubt and discouragement evaporate! Temptations are transformed into opportunities as we take our stand and declare: "You do not attract me any longer! My focus is now on Jesus. He is the One who fills me with adrenaline! I have victory though Him!"

If you wish to be like a glowworm, start being the follower of Christ you have declared to be. Let Him shine through you! You'll see, it will soon come naturally, and it will lead you into a life worth living, a life that will attract others to God because of your brightness.

Dear Lord we pray that we will shine for You. We pray that we will not allow doubt or discouragement cover the light we have from you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.