Shine your light

You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are 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 in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

The Lord Jesus Christ declared and said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). There was nothing compared or more emphatic way of Christ describing His existence. This declaration made by Jesus is what should be the frame of reference when He said to His disciples, “You are the light of the world.” The followers of Christ are called upon to let the light of Christ shine in this hopelessly lost world. The light functions to dispel darkness. No matter how thick the darkness, it cannot remain when a light is turned on. So we must not the hide the light by covering it instead place it on a lampstand so “it gives light for all who are in the house. The function of light is to make reality or truth visible, thereby giving direction and guidance by what is seen. Jesus again used the emphatic “you,” and again clearly stated that this is already what a believer is, not something he might become. It is the nature of a kingdom servant to be light in the world. Any follower of Christ who fails to function as light is going against his nature as God’s new creation. The believer has no light inherent in himself. The believer’s light is a reflected light produced within coming from its source, the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers are to make certain that nothing comes between them and their source of light. The light represents our good works, which must be done with such integrity that all who see have no choice but to praise our Father in heaven. The Christian’s life and influence is to be visible and obvious, not secret or hidden. We must not camouflage our devotion to Christ, but humbly do all we can to allow its truest colors to be seen where we live, work, and play. It is Christ’s righteousness we are reflecting not our self-righteousness. The attention is drawn to God and not to self. “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

www.my-wbc.com