“You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand,
and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” –Matthew
5:14-16 (ESV).
Perhaps
no song or teaching is as expressive of the Christian as light in the world as
the chorus we learned to sing a children in Vacation Bible School, complete
with the actions that accompanied the song:
“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine;
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Put it under a bushel, No! I’m
going to let it shine;
Put it under a bushel, No! I’m
going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m going to let it shine;
Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Jesus
said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the
world. Whoever follows me will not walk
in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Several Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament foretold of the
Light of the world coming to dwell among men.
One is found in Isaiah 60:20b: “the Lord will be your everlasting light and
your days of mourning shall be ended.” Where
there is light, darkness scatters. Light
also has the connotation of truth. Where
light is, people cannot dwell in the darkness of spiritual ignorance. “I am
the light of the world,” said Jesus of Himself. Light reveals, and part of Jesus’ earthly
mission was to reveal the truth of God to a world in spiritual darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world. So are his disciples. The light/dark contrast is basic to Christian
theology. “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ has shone in our
hearts to give the light (Greek photismos) of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV). As lights,
Christians are to be fundamentally different from the world. And we are to bear witness of the Light, the
Christ who reveals the truth of God and leads us to the true light. Like a lighted city on a hill and a light
not hidden under a bushel, the Christian shines for the Lord, giving Him honor
and glory. Let us pray that we may
reflect and spread abroad the true light found complete in Jesus Christ.
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