“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 as 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.
-Ethelene Dyer Jones 05.25.2014
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