"Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things
which are done by them in secret."
Ephesians 5:11-12
As Christians, we have a responsibility to lead the lost to our Savior. Of course we should share the good news of the gospel in words, but our words will have little effect if our behavior is no different from those to whom we are witnessing. We should live our lives in such obedience to Christ that His light of truth shines through us and convicts those who don't yet know Him of their own sinful condition. Pastor Steven Cole gives a wonderful illustration of exposing the darkness: "Living in Flagstaff, where it’s cold in the winter with lots of snow, our cars get caked with the salt and grime from the roads, so that after a few weeks of regular snowstorms, they look pretty bad. But, everyone else’s car looks as bad as mine, so I don’t think much about it. But, if I have to drive down to Phoenix, where it’s warm and sunny, I am suddenly surrounded by clean cars! Those clean cars expose the filthiness of my car and make me want to go straight to a car wash. Our clean lives expose the sin of unbelievers’ lives. As God works in their hearts, it often drives them to get their sins washed at the cross."
That's a great analogy. We were buying a new house and I met a young woman in the model home office. She was to be one of our neighbors and without knowing much about her, I knew she was a Christian. God's light was shining through her eyes. That's what I want people to see in me.
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