Matthew 5:14

One of the most famous of Jesus’ I am sayings was: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Those words don’t come as any surprise to us. He was the Son of God and was without sin. He was clearly able to claim that his perfect life radiated light for all to see. But in today’s verse we are told that we are the light of the world, despite being far from perfect.

Jesus’ challenging words have some very practical implications. First of all, to be of any use, light must be put in a prominent position. Just as you cannot hide a city on a hilltop so too Christians need to shine their light for all to see. These days you will often hear people say that religious faith is a private matter, as if it is something that you can do quietly at home without affecting anyone else. That is precisely not the case with Christian faith. It must be shared. Most of the time the influence we will have will not be with our words but with our actions. As people see the sacrificial love of Christians for one another and for vulnerable members of the community, they will see something of the light.

It is clear that the light that shines from us is not our light. What we are doing is simply reflecting the light of Christ to others. So the other major implication of this amazing verse is that we need to ensure that we are staying very close to Jesus. It’s as we get to know him better and build our lives on his words, that we will have light to share with others. And that light will, like all light, help to guide people as they pick their way through this confusing and often very dark world.

Question
In what ways might you be able to be a light for Christ today?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I worship you because you are the light of the world. Help me to stay so close to you that I will be able to pass on your light to others. Amen

Released on 10 Oct 2023