Being the Light of the World

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

If you drive across South Dakota at night, the lights of towns are visible for over 20 miles. All of the prairie towns are small, but the light they produce pierces the darkness that is all around them, making them appear bigger than they really are.

As Christians, we are reflecting the light of Jesus into a very dark world. We really can't help it. It's who we are and what we do. Years ago, I had a job working in a sawmill. I was in my 20's at the time. I didn't hide my Christianity, but I wasn't vocal about it either. A guy that had just started there came over to me and said, "You are a Christian, aren't you?" That kind of took me by surprise. The crew I worked with then, I would describe as pretty rough and tumble. While they didn't seem to mind me being a Christian, they certainly didn't want to hear about it. Turns out, this new guy was a Christian also and was seeking out another Christian for friendship.

If you've ever been to a lighthouse, you know it can be seen from miles away. It doesn't mean to be so bright, it's just doing what it was designed to do. As Christians, we are simply doing what we were designed to do, being lights in a very dark world.

By Rick “Papa” Wilson