The Light of the World
Several years ago, a group of friends and I embarked on a hike into the Darby Caves in Idaho. Deep into the mountain we went. As we sat and rested in a tunnel before turning around, we turned off our flashlights and our headlamps. For just a moment we sat in still silence as we were plunged into utter darkness. Darkness that loomed. Darkness the consumed everything. Heavy darkness. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when there is absolutely no light – unless you’ve felt it it’s hard to know it. It was there that I learned to appreciate light and knew I never wanted to be in complete darkness again.
Light flows through everything.
We communicate by light waves. Our music is carried on light wave to our radios. The internet is carried on light waves. Light gives life. Every person radiates light – we feel it as heat. The portion of light we see is minuscule when compared to the light we don’t see.
When I think about light – I think of the voice over from the movie August Rush. They are talking about music, but I believe the same applies to light.
“Listen. [Look.] Can you hear [see] it? The music [light]. I can hear [see] it everywhere. In the wind … in the air … in the light. It’s all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do … is listen [look].
“Sometimes the world tries to knock it out of you. But I believe in music [light] the way that some people believe in fairy tales. I like to imagine that what I hear [see] came from my mother and father. Maybe the notes [light] I hear [see], are the same ones they heard [saw], the night they met. Maybe that’s how they found each other. Maybe that’s how they’ll find me. I believe that once upon a time, long ago, they heard the music [saw the light] and followed it.”
I am the Light of the world
In John 8:12 Christ says “I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
How do we know we are following the Light of Christ?
I was at the lighthouse in San Francisco when I first wondered how before GPS sailors knew which light house they are looking at on a stormy night. How did they know it’s the port they are looking for? So naturally I asked the attendant, a park ranger. What he said intrigued me. Every lighthouse in the world has a distinct combination of light color and light pattern. For instance, I believe San Francisco’s is 5 white lights in 25 seconds. Another lighthouse may be 3 short red lights in 8 seconds.
Just like each lighthouse the light of Christ has a distinct pattern, that if followed will lead us safely Home. But what is that pattern and how do we recognize it? I believe the apostle, Paul, gives us the answer in Philippians 4 verse 8.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
The light of Christ will always teach truth. It will be honest, just, and pure. The light of Christ will show us what is lovely and of good report and praiseworthy. If we seek after these things we will never be in darkness but have the guiding influence of the Light of the world.
Ye are the light of the world
Matthew 5: 14-16 Christ commands: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
How do we become the light of the world? To continue the lighthouse analogy – If Christ is the light source – we are the lens through which it is reflected. The lens of a lighthouse focuses the light from the source into the beam of light we see and allows it to be seen at greater distances then a light without a lens. By reflecting the light of Christ to those around us, we point the way to Him and become little lights of the world.
To reflect His light, we must also have the characteristics of His light. We must follow is pattern of being truth tellers, honest, just and pure. Reflecting things that are lovely, of good report and praiseworthy. That’s not easy. And we sometimes mess up and get dirty through our mortal experience. But you don’t throw away the lens of the lighthouse just because it’s dirty. Those things are expensive!
Just as one might wash the lens of the lighthouse, we too must be periodically washed through the atonement of Jesus Christ. When He’s done His cleaning in us, we are good as new – ready to reflect His goodness again to our little corner of the world.
Until next time – Shine Bright.