Matthew 5:16

For the past three years, I have driven through Ft. Worth to do projects for a major ministry there. The freeway travels through an older part of the city, which is filled with dilapidated buildings, crumbling streets, and tiny, run-down homes.  Most of the houses have burglar bars on the windows, and some are boarded up completely.  It is a depressed area, one you like to get through quickly.

But one day as I whizzed past, I caught a glimpse of a little house right near the freeway, and I was immediately captivated.  It is outstanding!  With crisp, white paint on the exterior and dark green trim adorning its doors and windows, it lives in stark contrast to everything around it!  A sturdy fence surrounds the front yard, which is its crowning glory.

Perfectly manicured grass rolls from stoop to curb, and at the gate stand two tall cylindrical shrubs, tightly clipped into sentinels on each side.  Topiaries shaped into stacked balls greet passersby near the street, and more topiaries stand near the shelter of this small white jewel.  Cone shaped, rectangular and even gumdrop-looking shrubs, are all symmetrically planted and carefully formed.  It looks like a tiny fairy land!

I make a point to look at that little white house every single time I pass by, and I marvel at the care the owners have taken.  These people really take pride in their landscaping, and it shows!

Not long ago, as I craned my neck to glimpse the "topiary house," I noticed a banner on the fence.  It read:

"Lawn Care"

(555)-555-5555

"Ahhhhh!" I said with a nod, and actually chuckled out loud.  "Well, THAT'S no surprise!"

Whoever lives there certainly knows all about lawn care!  With the way they keep their own place, you can be sure they will take good care of their customers' yards.  

What they advertise on the outside comes from what is true on the inside.

The people who own that little house "walk the walk."  For months I'd witnessed the topiaries and lawn care: the lifestyle, if you will.  And when the day came that I saw the advertisement, I was not one bit surprised!  It made perfect sense!  The sign rang true because I'd seen the evidence.

Let me ask you about your lifestyle:  When people find out you're a Christian, are they surprised?  Or do they nod their heads and say, "I could have guessed that!" because your life shines?  Do you stand out in a crowd, or do you blend in with the world around you?

Oh, I want to live in such a way that, even without a banner telling people I'm a Christian, they can see the evidence of it.  It's all about bringing glory to Jesus: how I talk, what I do, where I go, what I watch, how I conduct my business.  The topiary house is a constant reminder to let my life shine for Him.

Today's Small Thing is to put Matthew 5:16 where you can see it.  Think about what you are advertising on the outside.  Is it the same as what's on the inside? 

Be OUTSTANDING for Christ!

POINTS: 50 for posting Matthew 5:16 somewhere

Download Matt5.17

How about a little Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to inspire your light!....today's song will get your toes tapping!