Let your light shine this Christmas
Christmas! Is it your favorite holiday? On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Bible tells us that on the night of Jesus’ birth, the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds who were watching their sheep in the fields. God’s glory shone on them. Can you imagine what that must have been like? At first, they were very scared. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid!” and, “I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem!” (Luke 2:10, 11, Living Bible).
Why do we love Jesus and feel joy about his birth? Jesus came to teach us about God and how much God loves all of us. Jesus is our Way-shower, which means his life shows us the way to live. Here’s how Mary Baker Eddy explains this in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Jesus was ‘the way;’ that is, he marked the way for all men” (p. 46).
In one of his main teachings, called the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained how we can be happy and live in harmony with each other by following God. Jesus taught us to love everyone. He taught us to forgive each other and to be peacemakers. He told us, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14, New King James Version).
Wow! What does it mean to be the light of the world? Every kind deed you do is like a little light shining. When you help someone who is feeling bad, you are expressing God’s love and lighting the world. When you forgive a friend, you are brightening the world with God’s pure love.
One time a friend got mad at me and said something mean. Then I got mad at him and said something mean back. Afterward, I felt very sad. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I prayed and asked God to help me. Later that day I was visiting a bakery with my family. I saw a special treat that I knew my friend loved, and I had the idea to buy it for him. When I gave it to him, he was surprised, and he smiled. The bad feelings melted away because of God’s love shining through both of us. I knew we were friends again. What a happy feeling I had!
When we follow Christ Jesus’ teachings, we are lighting up the world with God’s love. Remember how the glory of God was shining on the night Jesus was born? We can also brighten the world by letting our light shine, and not just at Christmas, but every day!
