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Let Your Light Shine
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

HOW TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BY WHAT YOU SAY

Matt. 5:14-16

INTRO: This is the fourth in a series of messages on Matt. 5:14-16. In the previous messages, we have emphasized the fact that believers are lights, and lights are to shine. But, the question arises, "How do we do that?" How do we translate divine truth into practical, daily experience? It is with that in mind, that this lesson, and the next on the subject, will present three clear-cut ways by which you can daily let your light shine. The information that will be presented is very practical; and if obeyed, will make you a shining light. Each of you should carefully analyze yourself in the light of what is presented here. The entirety of this lesson will deal with how to let your light shine by what you say.

I. OUR MAIN MEANS OF COMMUNICATING OR MAKING OURSELVES KNOWN, IS THE TONGUE:

A. The tongue, the language, or what we say, is not our only means of communication; but it surely must be at the top of the list:

1. Men cannot see our hearts, to know what we are [I Sam. 16.7]; but they can hear what we say.

2. If men are to know there is light in you, it will be, in large measure, because of what you say. When Paul wrote to the saints in Colosse, and said that Tychicus and Onesimus would make known unto them his state [Col. 4:7-9], it is clear that he is referring to a verbal accounting. The same truth is seen in Eph. 6:19-21.

3. The point is so obvious, that I shall not even labor it. The chief way to let your light to shine before men is by verbal communication. They are going to form a large portion of their opinion of you by observing what you say. If they see pride, dishonesty, anger, deceit, gossip, etc., in your conversation, they will conclude that there is no light in you. But, if they see truth, humility, patience, understanding, and wisdom in what you say, folks, they will see that there is light in you.

B. A right tongue can go a long way toward establishing a bright light:

1. This truth is seen in young David. When King Saul sought for an excellent young man to be his aide at the palace, "Then answered one of his servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him", I Sam. 16.-18. The margin reads, "prudent in speech". At least one thing that distinguished David as a person of true quality, was his excellent speech.

2. Peter learned that your speech tells whose side you are on. At the trial of Jesus, Matt. 26:73 says, "And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. " They could see his life through his speech. And, in order to make them think he wasn't one of Jesus' followers, he changed his speech. Vs. 74 says, "Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. " Peter figured the quickest, clearest way to determine your identity is by your speech. And, he also knew that cursing and swearing was one of the surest ways of telling people that you don't belong to Jesus. You who use such speech, ought to think long and hard on that truth.

3. The fact is that our speech ought to be of such a nature as to establish before men that there is light in us:

a. Eccl. 7:1 declares, "A good name is better than precious ointment. "

b. Prov. 22:1 says, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. "

c. Paul exhorted in Rom. 14:16, "Let not your good be evil spoken of". and in I Thess. 5:22, "Abstain from all appearance of evil. " A critical, deceitful, foul, condemning, judgmental, proud, arrogant tongue, will do much to dim the brightness of your light.

II. EVERY CHILD OF GOD NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT A POWERFUL MEMBER OF THE BODY THE TONGUE IS:

A. It can be extremely dangerous and destructive:

1. I want you to turn to a powerful passage of the Bible on this subject: James 3:2-13. I shall read these words in your hearing. Brethren, carefully consider and meditate on the words of this passage, which warns of the power of the tongue, and calls for it's bridling. Notice especially, Vs. 2, where right use of the tongue is praised; Vs. 6, where it is pointed out that the tongue can defile the whole body, and Vs. 13, where the plea is made for "a good conversation. "

2. Just listen to the Bible enumerate some of the dangers of the tongue:

a. Prov. 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue. "

b. Job 5:21 mentions, "The scourge of the tongue".

c. Psa. 57:4 mentions, "Their tongue a sharp sword."

d. King David said, "Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully",

e. Wise Solomon wrote, "The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue", Prov. 25:23.

f. Psa. 5:9 says, the tongue can flatter.

g. Psa. 15:3 says, the tongue can backbite.

h. Psa. 50:19 says the tongue can frame deceit.

i. Psa. 10.7 mentions the ability of the tongue to devise   mischief and vanity: to plot evil.

j. Matt. 26:74 shows that the tongue can curse and swear.

k. Ex. 20.7 shows the tongue can take the name of the Lord God of heaven in vain; and can low-rate and curse by him.

1. Rom. 3:13, and Micah 6.12 show how the tongue can lie and be extremely deceitful. Ex. 20:16 shows the lying quality of the tongue. The tongue can lie as to the facts, and it can spread falsehoods or lies about others.

m. Psa. 52:4 shows how the tongue can devour and destroy others.

3. Oh, fellow saints, the tongue can indeed bring havoc and destruction.

B. Yet, the tongue can also be very useful and constructive:

1. King Solomon wisely declared, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life ", Prov. 15:4.

2. He also said, in Prov. 12:18, "there is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. "

3. Hear him speak divine truth in Prov. 15:1-2, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. "

4. Folks, the tongue can encourage, correct, edify, declare sound doctrine, and present the glorious message of the gospel of Christ, II Tim. 3:15-16. It can sing praises to God, clear up misconceptions and misunderstandings, make offences right, express our love, acknowledge our faults, and do a thousand other wonderful things.

5. Yet, the tongue is the source of untold misery, confusion, and deceit: but it doesn't have to be that way. It can be bridled, controlled, and used for constructive purposes that will honor God.

C. 'I'ruly, within this one little member of our body is the power of good and evil: life and death:

1. Again, I quote for you Prov. 18.21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue. "

2. And again, I remind you that James said, "Out of the mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing", James 3.10.

3. Indeed, what a power it has; and no one can control it except we who own it; and that only by the grace of God.

III. BUT, FELLOW LABORERS, IF OUR LIGHT IS GOING TO SHINE, OUR TONGUE MUST BE BRIDLED, CLEAN, AND USED ACTIVELY TO THE GLORY OF GOD:

A. As previously indicated, the good deeds we do, and the right words we speak, can quickly be nullified by a few cases of an unbridled tongue:

1. God's name in vain, profane cursing, lying, temper displays, deceitful talk, gossip, idle talk, dirty jokes, character assassination, destructive criticism, and other such cases of unbridled tongue, can put a shadow of reproach over your entire testimony.

2. In the Old Testament tabernacle, there was a beautiful candlestick with seven lamps on it. Each lamp was a small oil pot with a wick in it. As the lamp burned, there was soot, and often the wick had to be trimmed. There were special tools just for that purpose, Ex. 37:17-24. Taking away the soot and trimming the wick was called, "dressing the lamps", Ex. 30:7. If the lamps were not dressed, the light grew dimmer and dimmer, and finally went out. What an illustration this is, and a teaching by foretype, that our lights can get dimmed by filthy conversation filled with the soot of this world. Folks, such ungodly use of the tongue needs to be trimmed away. We cannot have bright lights, and thus be obedient to Jesus, in Matt. 5:16, unless we have a clean tongue, and one that is dedicated to the prosperity of the work of the Lord.

B. You can see then why God issues such stiff warnings against misuse of the tongue:

1. Prov. 6.-17 plainly says God hates "a lying tongue".

2. Solomon warned, "He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief", Prov. 17.20.

3. This same Solomon also warned, in Prov. 12:19, "The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment ".

4 . King David asked this question, in Psa. 120:3, "What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?" He answered in Vs. 4, "Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. " And, his son Solomon answered the question by saying, "The froward tongue shall be cut out", Prov. 10:31.

5. No wonder then, Prov. 21:23 observes," Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. "

C. Listen to God appeal to us for a clean, bridled tongue: a wholesome, godly, conversation:

1. He says in Eph. 4:29, and Col. 3.8, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. "

2. He tells us through James, the apostle, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge", James 4:11.

3. We are commanded in Psa. 34:13, and I Pet. 3.10, "Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. "

4. King David wrote, "Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck", Psa 75:5.

5. And Solomon advised, "A soft tongue breaketh the bone", Prov. 25:15. This same wise saint said, "The tongue of the just is as choice silver", Prov. 10:20.

6. Thus, Job declared, "My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit", Job 27:4.

7. Solomon affirmed, "For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips", Prov. 8:7.

8. King David repeatedly declared his desire to keep a bright light of testimony through his tongue. He prayed to God, in Psa. 120:2, "Deliver my soul, 0 LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. " He promised in Psa 39:1, "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. " He didn't want idle talk on his lips to dim his light, for every idle word shall be judged, Matt. 12:36. No. David said, "My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding", Psa. 49:3; "My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness", Psa. 119:172; "And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praise all the day long", Psa. 35:28; "Then was our mouth filled uith laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them", Psa. 126:2, and, "They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; ... my mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever", Psa. 145:11,21. Thus the sweet Psalmist of Israel confessed in truth, "I cited unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue", Psa. 66:17.

D. Brethren, it must be that way, if our lights are to shine:

1 . James warned, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain", James 1:26.

2. That's the reason Paul told Titus, "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine", Titus 2:1.

3. That's also why Peter said, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen", I Pet. 4:11.

4. Oh, listen to these words of scriptural admonition, in I Pet. 3:8-12: "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." Note especially Vs. 10.

5. Brethren, let us realize that letting our lights shine means getting our tongue under the control of our God. Using our tongue to his honor and glory is a very practical means of obedience to his command, to let our lights shine before men.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"