As you let your light shine, you unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

In my life experience, I’ve seen many people who downplay their potential and abilities on grounds that God expects them to be humble. They use this false sense of humility as an excuse to be lazy and incompetent.

Downplaying your potential is not humility. Look, God wants us to be humble but not to downplay our abilities. Offering less than we’re capable of in the name of humility is actually an insult to God. You see, He gave us immeasurable potential and gifts not to preserve them and take them to the grave with us, but to use and multiply them for His glory.

As theologian C.S. Lewis once observed, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.” What a profound observation. Allow me to quote him again: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.”

The Bible says that we are the salt and the light of the world. This means that our effect ought to be felt. If we lose our saltiness, we will be useless. God doesn’t expect us to light our candles and cover them with bowls. Instead, He expects us to put them on a stand so that they can shine and bring light to the people we encounter. (see Matthew 5:13-16).

One of my favorite books is “A Return to Love” by Marianne Williamson. In this book, she wrote perhaps the most insightful excerpt in human history. Only heavens know the number to times I have read the following words by Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a Child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberate others.”

Every single statement in this excerpt is so profound to me, but let me highlight this: “Your playing small does not serve the world.” Marianne goes on to say, “There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberate others.”

My big challenge to us is this: Let’s not shrink or downplay our potential and abilities in the name of humility. Let’s not use humility as an excuse to be lazy, incompetent and relax in our comfort zones. I encourage us to explore every single treasure and ability that God has deposited in each one of us. Let’s remember the words of theologian C.S. Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.”

In 1st Peter 4:10 the Bible says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as good stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Let your light shine so bright that we can’t help but squint  ♥