Ep3 : Be a Light Not a Spotlight

Have you ever met someone who talks about their faith so much that it pushes people away? Or maybe you've been that person. Today on NexGen, we're diving into what it really means to be a light in your world without making it all about you. Let's talk humility, faith, and being a light, not a spotlight.

Welcome to NextGen, the podcast created for believers just like you. A space to hear powerful stories, grow in faith, and discover what it means to walk boldly with Christ. This is NextGen, new episodes every Sunday. Now here is your host, Landon Kuhn. Well, hey, what's up, NextGen? This is episode three. Be a light, not a spotlight. And before we get into things,

I'm going to first start off with prayer. God, we come to you today to help the listeners of this podcast really find who they really are. Have they been annoying? Have they used your image as a way to

figure out themselves, have they used their image just to create an image for themselves that is a popular one, that is the Jesus kid? I pray today that we find all the answers and these answers that these listeners have can be answered. I pray that all in Jesus name, amen.

So being a light and not a spotlight can be hard for some of us. So let me explain why this is important and why we're talking about it. Well, it is very important because at the end of the day, we don't want to

have something where we are you know going to school and like reading like out loud the bible and we don't we don't want to use god's image to attract ourselves to you know to attract other people to come and see me being the center of attention or see you being the center of attention

I think we all have been guilty of that. And I think a great example is, for example, um, if you're a surgeon, it's fine. If you're not totally fine and you're worshiping, do you just put your hands up because it looks good? Do you just do it because other people are doing it?

I really will want you to think about that. And I want you, if you're doing that in worship, it's totally fine. And I think it is a great way to show that you're surrendering everything to Jesus. But think about why you are really doing that. I want you to think about, is this what God wants me to do? Or is this what my brain and what Satan wants me to do to make me feel better about myself?

Is this how I'm going to get accepted here at church is by doing this. I don't want you to do that because what if we are for, for example, if someone does everything on a project at school and you say, yeah, I did everything. And you're saying, oh yeah, I did a great job and I did this and this and this, and you really didn't.

or you're just praising that person. It makes you a little bit just annoying. It makes you feel like a suck up to that person. So I want you to think about that going into your week. And I want you to think about if you've been annoying or not. I want you to think about if you've ever gotten to the point of where

you're just not fun to hang out with anymore because you are doing this constantly. Now, but I do want you guys to really hear me out here because I'm not saying that you shouldn't praise Jesus. I'm not saying that at all.

but it says this in Matthew chapter 5 verse 16. In the same way let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Don't use your voice as something

that brings people closer to Jesus. I want you to more use your actions to bring you closer to Jesus. You know, being humble and being, you know, just helpful to other people, whether that's volunteering, or if you're just helping someone out with their answers to a test, or if you're giving people study notes. I don't know what it is.

but I think it is really important. Here are some ways that you can do this stuff without being and making yourself the center of attention. What I just said, live by example, be kind, patient, compassionate in your interactions with people, your relationships, make sure that you are the one

And I'm not saying that you, that the other person shouldn't be, but you have to be that person that kind is patient and is passionate. And I, and I love doing this. Here's number two, where faith inspired items from t-shirts to hoodies to, you know, your favorite cross necklace or a bracelet with a verse on it. I have many, many, many.

T-shirts from the company Jesus Loves You. I'm sure you guys have heard about them. Great company, highly, highly recommended. Number three, use your words wisely. Make sure that your vocabulary, when you are actually talking to someone, that it's natural and that it's

You know, you're not being pushy and you're not being annoying. You want to be that person that is, you know, known as just a kind and gentle person when you're talking to them. And one of my favorite ways to show my faith is to stay humble. Avoid, you know, debating.

Answer questions that people have with gentleness. You know, when someone asks, you know, who created God, you know, don't be like, well, you know, this and this and this be gentle, be gentle, avoid debating and forcing your beliefs on others. We are going to get into humility and being humble.

later in the episode. I also want to point out how hard it is sometimes to do this. Especially as Christians, you know, we might look at ourselves as, you know, like the better person because we know Jesus and we're forgiven and we do all the right things and we're, you know, just a little goody two-shoes.

You know what I mean? I think one of the main reasons is we fear being overlooked by people. I think that throughout this entire thing of us being humble, I think it's super, super important that, you know, you have enough humility to not make everything about yourself. It says this in James chapter four, verse 10.

Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up. Pretty powerful, right? Being humble is one of the greatest things that you can do as a Christian and really anyone. I want you guys to think back to when last time you were worshiping.

I want you to think about how that made you feel. For me, I feel great when I'm worshiping, but I feel like I have a hard time leaving church and still maintaining that religious mind. You know, you go back to school and especially for someone as a freshman in high school, I think it's,

sometimes really hard for us to go against the status quo. I think it's really hard for us because, you know, we just want to be seen and we want to be heard. And I think that like, that's why sometimes as Christians, we do this. Going back to what we were saying before. This is Proverbs chapter 11, verse two.

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. That was Proverbs 11, verse 2. Humility over and over again is something that is talked about in the Bible so much, all the time.

And I think pride is something that is highly, highly put down in the Bible as well. It is one of the seven deadly sins, is pride. I think one of the biggest things is by looking at 1 Peter 3, verse 16, they are talking about how to approach people. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear.

If they go on to say this, then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Basically what this is saying in the end is don't be that person that's the one who's trying to get everyone closer to Christ, especially strangers.

What they are saying, though, is if someone starts to speak, be ready for those answers, for they will see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. I'm not saying that life is an easy road for all Christians, not at all, actually. I feel like God wants to challenge Christians almost the most. I feel like

When people say to you stuff that isn't religious, and with me recently, my friends have been hearing stuff in their school, not personally me, but they have been saying stuff that people have said, like this. Christians cannot sin. They are perfect. That is not how it works.

And I think most of you know that actually. All Christians have sinned. I can 100% clarify that. Every human, every Christian, every Muslim has sinned. Every Catholic has sinned. Every single one of us on earth has sinned.

And again, going back to the seven deadly sins and what we're talking about, pride is one of the biggest things, right? Pride is talked about so much in the Bible. In fact, the Bible says pride 58 times, 58 and humility. It said around 80 times in the Bible.

So combined, they are about 140 times in the Bible, which is something that I think we should all look upon very highly of. We're going to go into a little audio clip now. This is the story of how Jesus displayed his humility. Take a listen.

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments and, taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered him, what I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.

Peter said to him, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, if I do not wash you, you have no share with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, the one who has bathed does not need to wash except for his feet, but is completely clean.

and you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him. That was why he said, not all of you are clean. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them,

Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I really hope you guys enjoyed that little clip there. I think it's really important for us

to reflect on Jesus's life because at the end of the day that's what we want to copy and we and what we want to be like is Jesus. We want to eventually go to heaven with him. We are going to go into a time of prayer and then that will wrap up our episode.

Jesus, we come to you today to help us go throughout our week and not be annoying towards others with your word. I pray that we all have enough humility and enough gentleness to go at people.

I think it's really hard for us sometimes to understand that. I think it's really hard for us to show our faith without being a spotlight, without being the center of attention. I pray that throughout this week that you will just show us your path, your path to the promised land. I pray that all in Jesus' name,

Amen. Well, thanks for listening guys. Tune in next week for another episode. I really hope you guys have enjoyed this one. Make sure in the comments you leave any questions, any concerns, any comments, any prayer requests. I highly recommend it. Make sure you guys tune in next week. It's going to be a banger. Okay. All right.

I'll see you guys, and thanks for listening.