Camouflaged

Watching the Outdoor Channel over the past few weeks, I have been struck by the number of advertisements and personal plugs for camouflage clothing and accessories. Advantage, All-Purpose, Hardwoods, Break Up, Bottomland, Obsession, Duck Blind, Tree Stand, Max-4 for starters; an endless array of designs and patterns designed to help you blend into various terrains and backdrops, as if you weren't there at all. I've thought about how much of a stark contrast that should be to a Christian's life. Yet, too many of us blend right into our daily environments, unnoticeable to those around us.

Matthew 5:14-16 reminds us that we "are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (NIV).

I must confess that I do not always let my light shine. Too often I remain quiet when I should speak up, do not share my faith with others, or ignore the needs of others. But I am not supposed to blend into my surroundings, instead I am to stand out. My faith should separate me from those around me. I often wonder if people can look at me and say, "Yes, he is a Christian." If they cannot tell by my faith, then I am hiding His light (Steckel 1999).