"BEFORE OTHERS!"

Matthew 5:15-16                        (ESV)

"15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine "BEFORE OTHERS", so that they may see your good works and give glory to your FATHER WHO is in heaven."

You know, it is a lot easier to "do the right things" when you are around people who believe in doing the right thing.   But what about when we find ourselves surrounded "BEFORE OTHERS" who don't share the same values that we do?  When we are the ONLY examples of living a HOLY life in a atmosphere of godless activities?  

JESUS said our light shines brightest when it is displayed on a stand, "BEFORE OTHERS", where it can give light to "all in the house"!  But there are times I tend to be the one who doesn't want to offend, who wants to get along with the rest of the world!  But are we helping them any when we allow the whole house to burn down around them and not alert them?  It's like we are the fire department and we just pull up to a fire and watch it burn killing everyone inside.  

The words "BEFORE OTHERS" indicates to me that we are talking about people who are different than me.   Sure, I can go to church and teach fellow Believers about the Word of GOD, but speaking TRUTH "BEFORE OTHERS" let's the light shining inside of me expose darkness more effectively.  

While it is TRUTH that GOD must draw people before they can SEE the real TRUTH, Romans 10:17 (KJV) says "So then faith cometh by HEARING, and HEARING by the WORD of GOD"!  A person MUST hear TRUTH and that is one reason GOD left me on earth after HE saved me.  HEAVENLY FATHER, guide me to become bolder, clearer and more succinct that YOUR SON is the only way out of this world and the evilness of Satan.  If I won't speak TRUTH "BEFORE OTHERS", who will???