“You are the light of the world.”
— Matthew 5:14
Are you ever afraid of the dark? Just about everybody is at some point — usually when there’s a storm going on outside, or something makes a weird noise, or you wake up from a freaky dream. Darkness can be frightening, especially when it’s that inside blackness you feel when you’re sad or confused or hurt. You just want somebody to turn on a light, right?
Jesus knew about that, and at one point (John 8:12), he called himself the light of the world. All people had to do was turn to him and he would chase away the sadness and fear and confusion. In today’s verse, he said we, too, are the light of the world. He expects us to carry on the work he started, rather than keeping the message of his love and forgiveness to ourselves.
If Jesus were to use a modern-day metaphor, he might say, “Don’t put your flashlight under your sweatshirt, so nobody else can see the path in the dark.” What would happen if you did that? You wouldn’t be able to see your way either. If you whipped out that flashlight and sent its beam out, all of you could see where to go.
You see God so much better when you share him. You are, after all, the light the world needs.
More to Explore: Philippians 2:14 – 16
Girl Talk: How do you think you shine? In what ways are you a light to people who need to see?
God Talk: “God, you are a brilliant light for me when I’m frightened or sad or confused. Help me to shine your light for others who also need to see. Amen.”
From That Is So Me by Nancy Rue