Letting Your Light Shine

The Savior said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (3 Nephi 18:24; emphasis added).

For those of us who feel wanting when it comes to talents and gifts, it is encouraging to know that this invitation is not to dazzle others with who we are or what we know. Rather, our light is the Light of the World reflected in us as we simply strive to do as He did. That's it. The Lord tells us to follow Him and not be ashamed or unwilling to stand out. Do not be ashamed to hold up His light. Do not be afraid to shine. Do not worry about the outcome.

As with the Savior and the Prophet Joseph Smith, Paul was embroiled in controversy and opposed wherever he went. Controversy was his constant companion but never his object. It was rather the frequent consequence of faithfulness.

The Savior and those who have taken upon them His name have always drawn and will always draw criticism. The truth never exists unopposed. It will always have many times more than its share of antagonists, desperately striving to disprove, debunk, discredit, and destroy. That is so because it is truth; if it were not, it would be of no consequence and the world would pay it no mind, much less waste any effort to oppose it. It would be permitted to roll along into oblivion, unnoticed and forgotten.

Human tendency is to blend in with the crowd. "Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat" (Matthew 7:13). But we must be willing to speak up, stand up, and stand out for the truth.

Many of us are not comfortable with attention, much less criticism. Many of us would rather go unnoticed because if we can blend in, less will be expected of us. Safety is sought in the crowd rather than in the Lord, and the crowd almost always seeks a silent consensus of mediocrity. However good the crowd, it expects less of us than what we are truly capable of giving. There is only one Light, one standard that reveals and requires the full measure of our potential and offers the power by which it can be realized. Jesus Christ is the Light and Life of the world. He alone both reveals our weaknesses and provides us with the power to change and become strong where we are weak.

If you follow the Savior, like Paul you will stand out as a light shining in the darkness. Your light, which is His light, will shine, and whether or not you choose it or want it, you will be a city set on a hill. Your light will shine as an inevitable consequence of faithfully choosing to follow the Lord whatever the cost. You will not be able to hide, even though you may want to hide. Often you will stand alone, but you won't really be alone. He will stand by you. He will be with you.