This story that Stuart Briscoe tells is a neat one and so true.
“My dad used to tell the story of a man who went home one Saturday, and his wife had got a “honey-do day” for him. His honey wanted him to fix up a doorbell. So, he went down to the local store, and he got the wire, and he got the little battery and the bell, and he wired the whole thing. He put the bell inside, and he rang the bell, and he thouught his wife would be absolutely thrilled, and she said, “Ugh, if only you had put a light up at the same time.”
So, he trudges off back to the store, and he buys a lamp, and he wires it up to the battery and he puts the lamp in there, and switches on the lamp, and nothing happens. So, he calls an electrician friend of his, and he says, “Hey, I rigged up this bell that my wife wanted, and I pressed it and it rings great. Then, she wanted a light, so I fixed the light on to the battery, and nothing happens.” So the electrician says, “You don’t have enough power because it takes more power to shine than to shout.”
“It takes more power to shine, than to shout.”
What God wants us to do before we start shouting is to start shining. If the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ in our lives is being bottled up inside us than all that the people can see is the outside clay pot. There will be no shining, and the shouting will fall on deaf ears.
“For God who said, “Let your light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Of course, the message of Jesus needs to be verbalized because we can tell it easier than we can live it. But, the proof of the pudding is in the living. Let you actions be your loud speaker. SHINE FOR JESUS.
Max Speaking 