A nation is exalted by the righteousness of its people, but sin heaps disgrace upon the land. Proverbs 14:34.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 AMP).

We live in a world where things have turned upside down. We live in a world where something that is extremely bad and evil has been widely accepted by today’s generation.

We live in a world where being ‘bad’ is called ‘good,’ and what is ‘good’, is ‘bad.’

As a believer, we must not conform to the patterns and the systems of this world. The fruits of righteousness must find expression in our lives.

One of the signs that shows that a man is saved is when he begins to show forth the works of righteousness.

Jesus speaking to us in the book of Matthew 5:16, says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Christ wants us to shine as light so that the world can see it. In other words, He wants us to enforce righteousness because darkness has been rooted into the surface of the earth, and it is only the light of Christ that can dispel darkness. We are the light to shine forth.

As a believer, we must consciously and consistently reflect a life of holiness, even if others do not conceive it as being fashionable in this world of sunken moral values and godlessness.

Pastor Kumuyi once said that “today’s present world have overthrown Sodom and Gomorrah in wickedness and immoralities.”

An unbeliever can only succeed through a worldly standard while a believer can only succeed by the Kingdom standard. One of the standards of the kingdom is righteousness.

Righteousness means doing the right thing at the right time in a way that pleases God. We must seek to please God by enforcing righteousness in this *evil* world where moral standards and excellence have been seriously trampled, so that Christ can be glorified.

The land has been polluted and defiled with so many acts of unrighteousness and iniquities. There are only few undented lands which have not been defiled. And if we wants righteousness to flourish like a river and a divine restoration of our land, we must intentionally and consciously enforce righteousness.

Beloved, ensure to shine as light, live as a vessel unto honor and allow the works of righteousness to find expression in you and through you.

Having done all these, great will be your rewards, both in time and eternal. You’ll also be among the few chosen who stood out in the crowd to be a light and shine as light in this generation.

Stay blessed.