Being the light...

In the text of Matthew 5 beginning in verse 14 Jesus tells his followers they are the light of the world. A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. I was thinking about this topic a great deal in recent weeks and in considering this I thought of the children's song....."This little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine..." I considered the fact that I grew up thinking that I had a little bitty light inside me and my goal in life was to not let Satan "Phew" it out. You know what...? That's a lot of pressure for a little kid. And honestly whoever wrote the song has a misconception of God, the light of God, the power of Satan, and theology in general.

The reality is that John 1 states "in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God" (ie Jesus is both the Word and God) and then in verse 4 the Bible states "In Him ans life and life was the light of men". So you see...the light of God lives in us because Jesus himself lives in us. And I don't have a little bitty light I have a bright, strong, powerful light. The devil absolutely cannot "phew" it out he can only have it if I give it to him, and I won't do that so rather than walking around with fear of the devil and teaching our children to do likewise the Christan should walk around with the knowledge and revelation that "Greater is he whose in me than he who is in the world" and "As God is so are we in this world". God is big and powerful and the devil is small and weak and the Christan who has the true light of Christ on the inside of them need not ever be scared that the devil is going to "phew" out their light. It cannot happen!


So the real point of the text isn't to tell us not to hide our light...it's to tell us we are light and we cannot be hidden. The analogy to the "City on a hill" got me thinking as well. What's notable about a City set on a hill? Well for one it's visible...and for two it draws the weary, lost, hungry travelers that go by it. You see, we try to push the gospel down the thoughts of people who are not hungry so often. But it's funny that Jesus never did that. Sure he rebuked people at times but guess who he rebuked? Religious people, or in other words the days "Church People" generally for doing the right thing on the outside but having hearts that were far from God, and caught up in everything else that seemed "Churchy or religious" but didn't really matter. Ultimately the light attracts people! There are always going to be people who reject God, but there are always going to be people who are lost, broken, hungry, and weary walking this life in search of a City set on a Hill where they can go to get help, get fed, get restored, and have their life saved. These people may be in three piece suits, or rags out on the street. The light of God is for everyone.....

IS YOUR LIGHT SHINING TODAY? stay connected to the source of light...Jesus Christ and I believe that your life will shine today. Like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden! People are watching you weather you know it or not...one day they are going to be hungry or tired or broken. Will they come to you?

Hope this little insight into my thought life helps someone...Shine Today!

Chad