“Oh no!” a voice rang out as the whole building was plunged into darkness due to a black out. For the first few seconds most people remained in their positions in hope of the situation being reversed soon. Minutes elapsed and the lights were still not back, gradually people’s eyes acclimatized with the darkness and they began to go about their businesses in the dark. Of course, there was chaos as people bumped into each other, some slipped and sustained injuries and few were left unhurt.
This little illustration depicts the current condition of our world, There is imminent darkness today not because of a black out, which is a total power outage from the source but because the light bearers have refused to unveil their light. The source of the World’s light is Jesus and his followers are the light bearers“Then spoke Jesus again to them, I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life - John 8:12”
The verse above has established the fact that Jesus is the source of our light, a source that can never go off!
WHO ARE THE LIGHT BEARERS?
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden ” Matthew 5:14
Every follower of Christ has been given a mandate to light up the world. It does not require any special laying of hands to reflect this light. Its in you already! The day you accepted Jesus as your lord and personal savior, he came into your life bringing along all of him, it is now left for you to decide if you want people to see all or part of him in you. Quite a number of Christians have fallen short of this divine mandate, due to the fear of being mocked or being called different. You do not need a special platform to fulfill this mandate, start from where you are right now, are the people around you basking in the light you carry? Or you only unveil it in the privacy and comfort of your room or church? Don’t be a two faced Christian that will pretend to be someone in church and another person outside all in the name of blending in. Stand out for Christ! Let the Whole World know you are sold out to Jesus.
“Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candle stick and it gives light to all that are in the house ” - Matthew 5:15. The benefit of the light is not for the bearer but for those that are in the house, for those closest to you, within and around your sphere of influence.
THE PURPOSE OF THE LIGHT
Jesus went on in verse 16 “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven”
Two things that I got from this verse is that the purpose of the light is to illuminate the ‘good works’ and it is in these ‘good works’ that will draw in the lost souls so that the Ultimate Goal which is to ‘Glorify God’ will be fulfilled. The ultimate goal is to glorify God and not the Light bearer! This seems to be the case in some places today. The attention of people have been drawn away from the source to the vessel which should not be.
DON’T GIVE UP!
Dearly Beloved, though it may seem like the world is mocking you, keep the light shining ever so bright. What happens when you stay in a dark room for long and then suddenly the lights come on? Your eyes closes immediately. Why? Prior to the light the pupils dilate in order to get used to the darkness but now the light is back and they don’t know how to function in it, so for a moment they shut off in an attempt to protect the eyes, the pupil constrict to restrict the amount of light that wants to gain entry. After a while the eye slowly adjusts and adapts to the light.
The people of the world have adapted to their way of life so they tend to both consciously and unconsciously protect themselves from things that look different from what they have known all along. They are scared of stepping out of their comfort zone. But by shewing forth our good works with love we can win them over to our Lord’s side. Shalom!
Image credit: thunderhead.com