The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. (Proverbs 4:18 NLT)

Ever known someone whose zeal and passion for life were contagious? Someone who has been relentless through the years in their love for Jesus and seeing God’s promises continually fulfilled? 

For me, this person was my pastor at the church I attended during Bible college. There was a humility in his eyes that drew you to Jesus. His sense of humor was off the charts (even in cheering on the corny pranks I would play on his pastoral staff!) and willingness to take steps of faith continually led the church forward. Yet, it was his commitment to put others first that really impacted me as a young adult.

My pastor would do extended fasts on behalf of other people in crisis, including my own family. He continually dressed a certain way because some members of his congregation saw it as a major issue. The extra layers he wore in the hot sun while everyone else dressed comfortably looked stifling. But he always did it because he loved them.

Personally, he took many opportunities to speak into my life and pray with me during the darkest season I have ever experienced. And I received the sacred call to preach while under his ministry. I’ll never forget the time he asked me to preach for a Sunday morning service. Nervous sounds like a comfortable word compared to the fright I was feeling that morning! Funnily enough, I shared about God taking us out of our comfort zones. The anointing that I experienced in the middle of this terrifying morning left me assured that the Lord led me to this moment. 

Still, I think I have been most impacted by seeing how God has worked through him these last 25 years since I graduated. His life seems to be a constant example of new things that God is doing. The Lord has been continually opening doors for him to impact ministries and business leaders across the nations. And he has endlessly maintained childlike wonder, even during times of intense testing that few of us can relate to, of what God was going to do. 

To me, he’s a great example of shining ever brighter through the years. The admiration I see in the eyes of his wife towards him has never wavered and is proof that abiding in Christ privately leads to Jesus being seen more brightly by others. And while most of us may not be called to impact large multitudes of people in such a public manner, we’re all valuable members of the body of Christ, created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).

If you have walked with the Lord for a long time, I’m sure you can recognize how the Lord has softened your heart over the years to shine ever brighter. He has qualified you with His righteousness and promised to carry out the work that He began in you (2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 1:6). I encourage you to take time today and thank Him for the changes He’s made in you. We are changed from “glory to glory” as we spend this time focusing on Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). And if you are new in your walk with Christ, we pray the Lord would lead you quickly to others whose light will continue to brighten in the days ahead. 

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.