“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, 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 in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16)
Daily Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-16
While growing up in the church, singing the childhood song, "This little light of mine ... I'm going to let it shine ...." was a common experience. Jesus clearly tells us we are the light in the world that shines forth his love and grace. Not hiding our light and letting this light shine before our community is an important task as a disciple of Christ. Though it is important to us to do this as individual disciples, it is not a singular individual task, but a task of the whole body of Christ. The song tends to focus exclusively on a single beam of light emitted by our small candle.
Jesus' words in the Sermon of the Mount speaks not just of the individual but the whole community. Jesus wants us to think corporately about the illuminating power he generates in each of us and all of us collectively. Jesus speaks about the "city built on a hill cannot be hid" not just the one lone light flickering in a single window. The combined light emitted from an array of homes, each burning in its own place, all for a common purpose is what that sets the city ablaze in the midst of a dark and dreary night. Former President George Bush may have said more than he realized when he touted the "thousand points of light" theme. When you have hundreds and thousands of individual lights burning to break through the darkness does it impact the world and brings forth the hope found in Christ.
Theologian Robert Alden writes that "There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one small candle."
There are no lamps that cannot throw some light on some darkened portion of a fellow-traveler's pathway. Take confidence in the potential power of your lamp, for its light source is truly unquenchable. The psalmist reminds us that the Word of God is always available to us, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). Don't make the mistake of thinking that you are somehow not "mentor-material." In Luke 6:40, Jesus reminds his disciples that while "A disciple is not above the teacher, ... everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher."
As disciples of Christ, "lights of the world," we have been "fully qualified." Instead, we need only let our lamps shine, that others may see and find the way, the truth and the life.
Jesus comes to give light and he wants us to be the light of the world as well. As we think about Advent, let's pray that our lights will shine so brilliantly that it will be as Isaiah said, "all flesh, all humanity, all people throughout the world and all of creation shall see the salvation of God."
I often used the following words of the St. Francis of Assisi when I need to remind myself of the significance of the light I shine upon the world.
You are the Light of the world
Where there's hatred, shine love
Where there's injury, shine healing
Where there's darkness, shine light
Everyday
You are the Light of the world
Where there's doubt, shine faith
Where there's despair, shine hope
Where there's sadness, shine joy
Everyday
You are the Light of the world
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
It is my prayer that we will have the presence of the Lord to help us, prepare a way for the Lord this Advent, into our hearts.
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