Light is supposed to shine

Flying over Scotland at night sticks in my memory. For some reason, the cities looked like piles of jewels lit from below, like treasure in a pirate’s chest. In some cases, sparkling strands that looked like pearls connected these glowing blobs of light. I’ve not seen anything like it.

Today’s verse implies another kind of light but one that should make an equally significant impact. It is the light that comes from the lives of God’s people.

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

Do I walk about with a glowing face and an appearance that radiates God’s light? Not usually, but I should have the peace of God reflected in my countenance. A sour look of grumpiness or anger might pop up now and then, but more often my face should reflect on the outside what God puts on the inside.

Christians frequently say that what matters is the inside, the intentions of the heart. While Jesus did speak about heart attitudes, He never intended that I live a good life only on the inside. What is going on in my heart is supposed to motivate how I talk and act. This is why James said,

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:15–17)

He was not talking about earning salvation by doing good things, but about letting the light God gives His redeemed people shine in practical ways, rather than just thinking warm thoughts about others. He knew that what is going on in our hearts should flow out into our lives. This happens in the lives of everyone, including sinners, so if I’m just thinking about goodness but not acting on those thoughts, that makes me a hypocrite.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. (Philippians 2:14–15)

However the reverse is also true. I could go through the motions of being a shining light and not put my heart into it, like the child whose father made him sit down, but he mumbled, “I’m standing up on the inside.” Instead, the inside and outside needs to match.

A lesser light

Our new home has a bank of windows facing the sun. When temperatures soar, I pull the blinds, but most of the time, sunlight floods the main rooms, warming the space and delighting its owners. 
 

The sun is earth’s major source of light. However, there are secondary sources, including the moon and a great many man-made artificial lights. Without light, were would we be?

Light has a great many properties. When it hits a surface, in can be reflected, refracted, transmitted or absorbed, depending on the nature of the surface it hits. Certain properties will cause a ray of light to reflect as it changes direction, or refract as it bends. Other properties in the object will cause the light to disperse as it does when a rainbow if created.

Light can also appear to bend around obstacles in its path. A shadow may be created, but light filters into it too, mainly because the light that is not blocked travels in all directions. 

Some materials are transparent, allowing light to pass through so objects are visible on the other side. Think glass, water, and air. Other materials are translucent because they scatter the light making it difficult to see details in what is on the other side, such as wax paper, frosted glass, and some kinds of plastic.

In a vacuum, light always travels at the same speed, but since we don’t live in a vacuum, light speed can vary.

When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” His metaphor seems to describe His ability to expose what is in darkness because of sin. That darkness describes the human soul that is self-centered and unable to see the sin and lies that hold him in bondage and away from God. When Jesus came, His light changed lives. Anyone willing to come to that light is delivered from darkness and death and delivered into His kingdom of light.

God tells me that I am light in the world — and I say, “How can that be?” How can I be compared to this important and necessary part of our existence, never mind compared to Jesus who is my spiritual Light? Nevertheless, God says it is true and that being light gives me great responsibility.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, 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 who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:6–10)

Deceived by empty words or not, most of the time I wonder if I am in a fog. It is only by God’s grace and the power of His Spirit that I have any clue about what is good, right, and true. Without the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, I could never discern what pleases God. How can I possibly shine in the lives of others or do the kinds of deeds that glorify God? 

Today’s devotional reading takes some of the focus off what I do and is more concerned about who I am. Slightly paraphrased, here is what it says:

I do not realize the importance of the unconscious part of my life ministry. It goes on continually. In every greeting I give to another on the street, in every moment’s conversation, in every letter I write, in every contact with other lives, there is a subtle influence that goes from me that often reaches further, and leaves a deeper impression than the things themselves that I am doing at the time. It is not so much what I do in this world as what I am, that tells in spiritual results and impressions.

Another way to express this is that Jesus, who is the light of the world, lives in me. While I have a choice in whether I reflect Him or not, His life still shines. Should I fail to be transparent or fail to transmit His light, my life can still refract or diffuse it, all to the glory of God. 

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Father, I am going for a walk in the sunlight. As I do, may the light of who You are shine on me. Grant me opportunities to reflect it back to others, particularly to those who sit in darkness.

Reflections and Shadows

A simple phenomena occurs when an object is placed so light shines on it. That object both reflects some of that light and casts a shadow. The reflection and the shadow are not the object nor the light, but it says something about both of them.

Christians are supposed to reflect the light we have been given from God. That light is Christ who called Himself the Light of the world (John 8:12). When He shines in our lives, we are supposed to reflect His image and be like Him. The only way I can do that is walk in the truth that He gives me, and when I do, He can make His light ‘bounce’ off me into the lives of others. By that ‘reflection’ they will know about God.

The Old Testament prophet Hosea used a different metaphor to illustrate the same thing. He says, “Those who dwell under (restored Israel’s) shadow shall return; they shall be revived like grain, and grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon” (14:7).

The people of God (then and now) are supposed to cast a shadow that makes them people of positive influence. Whether by our light or in our shadow, we can draw others to God and be an influence for new life and growth. The word “scent” in this verse is literally “remembrance” indicating that every thought of us should be as pleasing as the aroma of a good wine.

Sounds good, but in reality, many people do not react to Christians that way, or at least to their notion of Christianity. Our reputation is not always like “fine wine” but too often muddied and unpleasant. Sometimes that is a result of the way some Christians behave and we ruin the reflection, but more and more I see us trying to overcome the false way we are represented. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is one, and unfortunately, the fakes get more press. They also become, in the minds of the masses, what Christianity is all about.

Everyone knows about the rogues and the fundamentalist nut cases, but how many people know about Iris, or Agnes, or Mary, or Ivan, or Steve or Mike? These are real people that live their lives in the light of Christ. They reflect His beauty to those around them. They are humble people who would be surprised how much their shadow influences others. These people, and many others like them, “smell” good.

However, the Bible is clear that those who live godly lives will be persecuted. In our country, many forms of persecution that happened in Bible times would be illegal. For that reason, we don’t get direct attacks. Instead, we suffer such sideways blows like misrepresentation. Instead of being recognized for goodness and truth, we stand in the shadow of false teachers who label themselves “Christian.” These people often wind up in the news for saying and doing the opposite of what real Christians say and do, and their ‘shadow’ has its influence, even on true believers. We become hesitant to identify ourselves for fear others will think ‘fake and hypocrite’ because that is the only kind of ‘christian’ that they know.

God does say that those who genuinely walk in His Light will shine like lights in this world, and that Christ will be seen in them. When Joe Public doesn’t recognize or refuses to honor that Light, we are not supposed to demand our rights, cry foul or complain about the unfairness of it all. Instead, we are to demonstrate God’s longsuffering patience, and keep on casting reflections and shadows.

The bottom line is that Jesus said what happened to Him will also happen to those who believe in Him. That means that if I am going to shine or cast shadows for Him, I might make a difference to some, but I am also going to get shot at by others.

Update: Bob said this morning that getting eight hours sleep is really noticeable. He hasn’t done that for a long time. He will be off work for four weeks, but is bored already and this is only Day Two.