In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus told His followers that they were the salt of the earth and the light of the world. They should not expect to be ignored, nor should they seek to be the same as the people of the world they inhabit. The purpose of making them lights is that they may shine! He then said to them, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” God desires and deserves the glory for every good thing we have and every good thing we are, and He is not pleased when people take His glory for themselves.
An example of God’s disapproval of glory theft is found in Acts 12 when Herod put on his royal apparel and began a public address to the people. Josephus, a Jewish historian, described Herod’s clothing on this occasion as being made entirely of silver. Because of the time of day and the direction Herod faced, the sun reflected off the silver and made him shine, causing the people to revere him as though he was a god. Acts 12:22-23 records, “The people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
God was not pleased that Herod did not glorify Him. God is also not pleased when Christians fail in the same area. Christians should give all glory to God for the good we do and the good we receive so that we please Him and are truly light in the world.
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