Shine Like the Sun

“But everyone who has done right will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. If you have ears, pay attention!” Matthew 13:43

The great painter Vincent Van Gogh said, in a letter to his sister Wilhelmina, “it is obvious that putting little white dots on the blue-black is not enough to paint a starry sky.” If you take a few moments to view his famous painting, “The Starry Night”, you know exactly what he means. These are not stars as they “are”, they are stars as they affected the painter. This are not mere twinkles of light, these are luminaries with fierce and beautiful power.



How much more so when Jesus talks about those who will “shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom.” It is obvious that putting a few Sundays aside and mentioning Jesus’ name is not enough to be a shining sun in God’s kingdom. Just as Van Gogh saw something richer and deeper in the night sky, so Jesus calls us to a response that is richer than most consider when they think about Christianity. What would most of the world say if we asked them their impression of North American Christianity? Would it shine with power and be as robust as Jesus’ description: “They shine like suns!”?

Jesus uses the phrase “born again” to describe a life that has been changed by faith in Him. But we must remember, as one has so aptly expressed, “we are not born again into soft a protected nurseries, but in the open country where we suck strength from the very terror of the tempest.” (Dr. J.H. Jowett). There is a vigor, a nuclear-sized power source in those who are changed by an encounter and continual connection to Christ.

This verse ends a story in which Jesus reminds us that those who belong to God and those who belong to the evil one will continue to grow up, even side by side, in the world. It is only at the end of time, when angels bring in the harvest, that those who sin and cause others to sin will be separated from the rest and punished. There will be a mixture of good and evil, godly and godless until the very end. It is not our job to try to make differences at this point in time.

But, by following Christ; by being intentional about actually obeying His plan about goodness, we may become not mere little white dots, but those who actually shine like the sun. Don’t those who forgive their enemies stand out from the rest? And, when they do it over and over again, even when the enemy seems not to change, don’t they shine with a brilliance that makes us blink instinctively?

Don’t those who serve the poor, not so they can earn favor with God or man, but simply because Jesus leads His own to do it; don’t they light the sky making all else dark in comparison? Those who give their lives to work with AIDS patients, to open their homes to victims of human trafficking, to stop the forces of bullying, discrimination and racism by the powers of peaceful confrontation; don’t they make us turn and stare, just like the finale for a July Fourth fireworks show?

There may be people unassociated with Christ who do such things. And, we must be honest when we say there are many who say they are born again, who shine very poorly. But, what seems clear is that those who are intent on following Christ, no matter if it means throwing away religions conventions or men’s traditions, will reveal the force of love the drives the Kingdom of God.

What difference that my little church may have a 20 percent increase in attendance this year? What difference that we may have outgrown the “other” evangelical church in town? What difference? What if we have the most dynamic worship band? So what that we have the newest media and electronics? What is changed because now over half of us speak in tongues?

To follow Christ means to be subversive, it means to challenge everything that hinders the free flow of Christ-like love from us to others. It does not mean we bash or disassembled traditions just for the sake of it. But, if those traditions actually hide the light of Christ more than provide and opportunity to “shine like the sun”, then it might be time to consider dismantling them. Remember, though, dismantling the unacceptable is the easy part. Discover the new skins to put the new wine into is the more difficult task.

But, above all, we should ask if the world sees us “shining as the sun”. Someone was once asked, “Do you love your enemies?” To which he replied, “You would have to ask my enemies.” Slam dunk! Talking about, preaching about, singing about, teaching about have nothing to do with following Christ unless my own enemies can testify, “Yes, I know he/she keeps doing good to me, and I cannot figure it out.” Then it might be said that we “shine like the sun” in our Father’s kingdom.