When I was young, (I use past tense because I've hit the ripe old age of 21) I wore a lot of polo shirts. Because why not? It didn't really matter where I was. It could be during the dead heat of summer and you'd find me exercising or something in a polo. They're classy, ok? Think about it: they're like a t-shirt, but with an added collar to say, "I'm better than you." Or something.
Well, anyway. There was this girl that I liked at a summer camp, (take it from me young ones: camp flings are never ok) and one day as we sat down, she kinda chortled at me (I think the word is spelled that way because it sounds like a chuckle-snort) because I was always wearing polos.
Guess what I never wore again in my life ever.
No longer was I a raging polo-maniac displaying the greatness of the innovative improvement to the everyday t-shirt on my pasty, thin torso - no. Now I had succumbed to mingling among all of the t-shirt-ites. After that camp, I tried to start replacing my collection of "too-many" polos with a stack of plain-old tees. Even to this day, I still have some polos, but they're kind of there just as an artifact of my former polo life. I rarely wear them. My polo-wearing days were over, much to my chagrin.
"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5)
Funny thing about flames. If you put them under a basket, not one sees them. It totally defeats the purpose of owning a candle (or a light bulb for you futuristic early adopters). Might as well not even light it in the first place. But there is a second offense. A light put under a basket also dies. And when I say die, I mean that they die. Kaput. Cease to exist. The flame quickly devours the available oxygen it needs to survive, and when it is out, so is the light.
I'm pretty sure God was indifferent to the fact that the light of my polo-wearing days were over. However, putting the light out on your faith is an entirely different matter. How do we not put out the light? You put it on display, right out in the open. In other words, get out there and show people what that the light in you is! Or rather, Who it is.
The second part of this verse in Matthew 5 talks about shining your light before others. Intrinsic to the life of the believer is this concept of sharing the goodness that flows out of our walk with Jesus. Much in the same way that James says that faith without works is dead, a life of faith lived without displaying God's goodness in good deeds is a starved faith.
Now, if you excuse me, I've got to go put on a polo and throw away some baskets.
