This is a Spotlight on the Scriptures: Matthew 5:16 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. 

Now some folks—bless their hearts—say the Sermon on the Mount is all about man. They call it anthropocentric. Man-centered. Human-focused. But I stopped by to tell you: they got it twisted. That sermon didn’t come from man, and it sure wasn’t aimed at man’s glory. It came from the mouth of God, and it points us straight back to Him. It’s theocentric. God-centered. Heaven-focused.

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men…” But He didn’t stop there. He didn’t say, “Shine so folks can praise you, post about you, or hand you a trophy.” No! He said, “Shine… that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven!”

That’s the aim. That’s the assignment. That’s the anthem of the Kingdom.

And let me press it a little further: in the coming Kingdom, when Christ reigns and righteousness rolls like a river, everything will be God-centered. Every word. Every deed. Every breath. But don’t wait for the Millennium to get your motives right. In this present age—in this broken, backwards, sin-sick world—we’ve got to live with heaven in view and glory on our lips.

Our purpose is not applause. Our goal is not greatness. Our mission is not medals. Our aim is to glorify God. Period. Full stop. That’s the call on every believer’s life.