“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16
The first thing created by God was light, in Genesis 1:3. The Gospel of John begins with revealing Jesus Christ as the Word of God, present from the beginning with God and creating the world along with God. John 1:4-9 makes several references to Jesus Christ as the light:
In Him (the Word, Christ) was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
Nineteen times in the Gospels, Jesus begins a phrase with the words “I AM.” Such as “I AM the way,” (John 14:6) “I AM the door,” (John 10:9) “I AM the good shepherd,” (John 10:11), etc. In John 8:12, He says “I AM the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Three times in the Gospels, Jesus begins three verses by saying “You are the” in reference to His followers. One was in our last reflection, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13). One is in John “I AM the vine, you are the branches.” (John 15:5) And the third instance is Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world.”
There is one quality we share with Christ, and that is LIGHT.
We know that light shines in darkness. We know that anywhere there is light, there cannot be darkness. Darkness is the complete absence of light. So even a little light means that there is no darkness. At the time of Christ, this metaphor would have meant a lot more than it does today. Because without electricity, light was supplied by candles and lamps, things that had to be tended to. If someone brought a candle or a lamp into a dark room, they would put it on a stand, so that there could be some level of light in the whole room. Today with electricity and lights everywhere, a simple flick of a light switch, the clap of a hand or the programming on a device will provide ample light.
Metaphorically speaking, the world today resembles the world of pre-electricity when it comes to Christianity. We aren’t flipping switches and seeing Christianity light up the world. Rather, it seems, that much of the world is slipping into darkness—not only of sin, but increasingly of isolation. And just like Christ says in Matthew 5:14-15, we are to bring the light into the world, to provide light in places of darkness, to put our Christian light on a stand for all to see.
In Matthew 5:16, Christ tells the disciples to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” The light of Christ in us should be similar to a lighthouse—present but not forced. We should stand like lighthouses, things that are easily seen, but that others must choose to follow. A beacon from a light house is bright and unmistakable in its purpose. It warns of danger. It directs to safe harbor. It provides hope for those who have lost hope. Every day we are surrounded by people groping around in the darkness, separated from the God who loves them. God uses His children, like beacons from a lighthouse, to show the way to Him. Dwight L. Moody wrote: “We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine.” We are to shine the light of Christ, and when we do, it will be an example to others and will be attractive to those who are sitting in darkness.
Christians who are truly attractive will light up their world by providing a sense of safety, warmth and comfort to those who come near. As Orthodox Christians, we need to shine in a way that is naturally attractive to those around us. Leaders in the early church set a compelling example for us in how to genuinely live out our faith in order to shine for Jesus Christ. These men and women lived as lights of love and hope in a dark and confusing world, and that attracted many people to Christ and to the Church. In Acts 2:46-47, we read: And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
It is a command to shed light in the darkness, to bring hope to the hopeless, and to give correction to the world. When we are light, the result will be glory given to God rather than praise given to us.
The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him, and burns up His adversaries round about. His lightnings lighten the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness; and all the peoples behold His glory. Psalm 97:1-6
Points to ponder: Where can you personally shine brightly for Christ? How do we share our lights with others? How can we let our light shine in our families, at school, at work, with friends, at church?
0 Comments