In John 8:12, Jesus says: “I am the light of the world.” And in Matthew 5:14, He says: “You are the light of the world.” What He claimed for Himself, He wanted His disciples to be as well. What a privilege, and what a responsibility! As children of God, we have a high calling in this world.
We all know how indispensable light is. Without light, life is impossible. At night, we cannot walk securely in total darkness. It is only with the help of a light that we can find our way safely. Light dispels the darkness so that we can avoid any dangers that may be in our way.
What a difference the sun makes! It is the sun that makes life on earth possible. When it shines, everything grows and prospers. Without it, earth would be frozen and lifeless.
Spiritually speaking, the world is in deep darkness and, as children of God, we should do our part to shine light into that darkness. Those who are wandering in darkness and going astray need the light of the gospel to show them the way to heaven and back to God. It is our duty to do our part, each of us where God has placed us, so that we may shine as lights.
Yet, we cannot shine unless we first have received light ourselves. A lamp must be connected to a source of energy before it can shine. We too, cannot shine of ourselves. Recall that Jesus says: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Since Jesus is the source of light, we must be connected to the source in order to shine. He said: “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). People can direct us to the source of light, but the light itself must come from the Lord.
Jesus wants to shine through the lives of His people here on earth. He is the light source, and we are the lamps. The streetlamps which light up our cities at night must be connected to the electrical power source. If the connection is interrupted, the lamps cease to shine. In the same way, we need to be connected with Jesus to shine. If the connection is severed, we no longer shine.
A candle is lit for a purpose. It is not there to be marveled at but to give light and to shine in darkness so that things can be seen. The world is to see God through us. People must see that we take our Christianity seriously. The best way to do this is to put it into practice. God gives each of His children a special gift with which to let his or her light shine. If all God’s people would let their lights shine and make sure the light is not concealed, the spiritual darkness would not be as great.
How great is that darkness into which the true light does not shine! How cold and dark are those hearts who have not received the light of Christ. We know that the earth cannot bring forth fruit without sunshine. In the same way, if the heavenly sunshine does not illuminate the human heart, spiritual fruit cannot be expected to flourish. The heart of the natural man is filled with the coldness and darkness of sin. We are to bring warmth to the world. If we do not do this then the danger is that the world will grow even colder. We all have influence and are influenced by our environment. If our influence is not stronger than that of the world, we will succumb to it.
All followers of Jesus need to be light. How precious it is when a father and mother in a family let their lights shine and lead their children by being good examples. O blessed home in which Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, shines!
Dear Reader, do you shine as a light in this world, or is your life a dark shadow of sin? Let Jesus come into your heart, and let there be light!
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