You are the Light of the World

You are the Light of the World. A City cannot be hidden when located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and hides it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone I the house. In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you and praise your Father in Heaven (Matt 5:14-16)

Here again we have another powerful ‘you are’ statement. You as in, you, the one who is reading this blog right now, if Jesus is your LORD,…YOU are light for the world. High calling considering John 1 says that “this One (the Logos) is the Light that shines in the darkness”. It is likely those hearing this statement over 2000 years ago understood it as “You are light for the world” and would have been stunned by it. Jesus was talking them -- the regular people those just trying to make their way through the challenges of survival and life. The group that Jesus was addressing felt powerless and unable to affect much of their own life, let alone the ‘world’. These were a seriously oppressed people both politically and religiously and yet Jesus was telling them that ‘you are the light of the world’. Imagine them looking at each other “who me?” “how can I be a light for the world?” “who am I?” all kinds of questions would be moving through the crowd. And yet, hearing these words from the lips of Jesus, it’s sort of like when I heard from my dad “Neil, I’m really proud of you, just because you’re my son, that’s it, that’s enough”. It does something to one’s soul – it is fuels you and breaths energy into your life.

Maybe you feel sort of tired and overwhelmed by whatever circumstance you find yourselves in, but believe it or not even there you are reflecting Jesus. A light has a light source that gives it the power to shine. The light is the visible effect of an internal power supply. We’re just called to ‘shine’ not supply the power or be the answer. This day shine Jesus to each other. Glow with the presence of Christ to those we have been called to serve. Think about how cool it is when a bunch of lights shine in the same place – they light up the entire night sky and all those who see share a collective 'wow'. Each light contributing to the other. Hear Jesus speaking to you “You are light for those around you, just because I dwell within you, and love you”.

Anyway, I was just thinking.

Neil