Something to Declare

Matthew 5:13-16
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When you go to the airport, customs usually ask you if you have anything to declare. These include things you bought overseas, or things worth a bit of money that the country can tax you on. This devotion told a story of a Swiss custom agent that was doing just a routinely check-up. The man he was checking said he had nothing to declare, but protocol calls, and when he opened the man's suitcase, he found $1.5 million dollar paintings by Picasso. 


"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." [Matthew 5:16]


Sometimes we are like that man who was obviously smuggling things into the country. Obviously we can't put a price on our relationship with Christ; it's priceless. Yet sometimes our lives show we have "nothing to declare." But we must declare it to the word! Just like Matthew said, our faith should be like a city on a hill. I didn't understand this until today when I read it. Matthew is telling us, just like this city is unable to be hidden because it's up so high, because it's so visible and large, our faith in Christ should be the same! Everyone should see it. Nothing can hide it. Is our relationship with God like that?


He calls us to let our light shine before men. We can't be like that man and say we have "nothing to declare" to the world! We have something to declare, and let's declare it loud and proud!

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A word well chosen can open a heart to God.