‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’ (Matthew 5:16)

My children show me what it means to light up a room. From an unfiltered shriek of joy when a frog is found in the garden, to the hug that hits me unexpectedly at full speed when I’m folding washing, there are no filters for the loving action I see shining brightly.

Jesus said that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to the small Children (Matt. 19.14), and I witness the evidence of this truth many times each day.  

As a full-time working parent and husband, it takes daily intentional focus on Jesus to renew my mind towards shining the light of loving action to the world around me. What exudes effortlessly from my kids takes me concerted focus. Rather than being a lofty hope however, Jesus’ words are a simple yet profound truth: when we give our energies to the work of God’s Kingdom, people will recognise the light of Jesus in us and be drawn to celebrate it. The embers of spiritual renewal will be blown into flame!

What Does Matthew 5:16 Mean?

Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 5:16 during his famous Sermon on the Mount, to a crowd of His followers and intrigued Jewish peasants who had no power to change their tough circumstances under Roman oppression. 

What a powerful promise Jesus was giving his hearers—when your actions demonstrate that you know me and live for my Kingdom, people around you will be impacted! 

Jesus followers are to be recognisable. 

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus describes his followers as salt of the earth. Eugene Peterson recounts Jesus words like this: ‘Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?’ (The Message).  

People see the light of good deeds and taste godliness through our actions.  

God is able to be experienced  by people whenever we steward our time, talents and resources for his glory.  

Jesus affirms that we can expect the impact of our God-motivated deeds to be more profound than we can immediately perceive. 

This kind of living requires faith. Faith that we need not be concerned with how people perceive our righteous actions. Faith that living out our convictions will bear more fruit than we know.

God Works In Small But Wonderful Acts

What may seem like a small act of generosity to us is able to be used in wonderful ways by God.

Sali is a 45-year-old woman living in rural Cambodia.

Before our local Christian Partner began working with the community, she struggled to sustain her family through ancestral farming methods, and her husband’s sporadic construction work left her to manage household responsibilities alone.

Their dwelling was basic; they lived in a hut with a perforated ceiling and teared walls. Sali and her husband had to cover the dwelling in plastic tents to keep the rain out. Sali supported her elderly mother and her brother and his wife. She foraged for food and lacked funds for farming essentials, or for her child’s education.  

She was only able to grow vegetables in two months of the year due to weather patterns.  

But after joining our Partner’s project, through training, supplies, and ongoing support, Sali’s family went from from subsistence farming to sustainable agriculture, improving their livelihood so their child, Sok, could gain an education. She and her husband now have agricultural expertise.

They can grow food all year round and they are building a more secure home.

Sali now independently manages farming activities, purchases seeds and breeds chickens, and shares her knowledge with neighbours.

We’re Brightest When We Shine Together

The light of God on display, when we work in line with his will and purpose, speaking a language that is understood regardless of culture, tradition or power structure.

Together with our Partner and generous Australian supporters, Sali was able to achieve outcomes which shine a new light of life in her community.

Jesus invited the hillside hearers of his sermon to act, then wait expectantly to see the impact he can make through aligning their lives with God’s will. This invitation extends to you today, as it does to all believers in Jesus, for all time.

Our Matching Grant Appeal helps you magnify your light! Every dollar given is combined with government funds, expanding the reach of projects that equip people, strengthen communities, and bring lasting change. 

The project championing Sali and women like her receives support the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). Give to the Matching Grant Appeal so more people like Sali can thrive. Help goodness grow where poverty thwarts potential.