"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." - Matthew 5:14
As Christians, we are called to be the light of the world; Jesus Himself said so. Not only are we the light of the world, we have also been called out of it. ("We are not of the night nor of darkness..." 1 Thess 5:5b). That we are called to be separate from the world, separate from the darkness, is no surprise. After all, the statutes and ways of Christ are diametrically opposed to the ways of this world. So we, filled with hope, joy, truth and LIGHT head eagerly into the darkness to offer the life of Christ, and hope eternal. The problem? We find that nearly the moment we head out, we face staunch and harsh opposition - people laugh and mock, scorn and obstinately refuse to listen. This often leaves the Christian feeling disillusioned: if the light of Christ is so beautiful, so good, why, then do people reject it so vehemently? I have wondered this very thing many times.
"This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." John 3:19-20
People are comfortable: they either know they are evil, or they are blissfully unaware that they are dead - living in utter darkness. This world continues to get darker. The darker the darkness, the brighter the light. This is both good news and bad news. The good news is: the light we shine, Christ in us, is so visible to the world - so visible against the backdrop of utter black and despair. But, the harsher the contrast, the more resistance we face. Allow me to illustrate:
When you were a kid (or maybe even in college, if you lived at home), did your parents ever wake you up for school by turning on your bedroom light, flooding your dark, sleepy, comfortable room with obnoxious, bright, painful light? Mine sure did - all the time. And I hated it. All I wanted to do was sleep, stay under my warm covers. I didn't want to put my feet on the cold floor and get ready for the day. Later, I was thankful, because getting up meant I got to do all sorts of things I would never have had a chance to do had I merely stayed in bed. But in that moment, when Mom and Dad turned on the light, I HATED the light and LOATHED Mom and Dad.
It's similar with the light of Christ. The world is sleeping in darkness, and while we know that the light Jesus offers is better, the world is perfectly content right where it is. When we, full of the light of Christ, the light of truth, burst into a world of darkness, the contrast is harsh, overwhelming, and unwelcome. The truth is, by nature, offensive - the light reveals all that is wrong. But take heart, O Christian. What we offer the world in Christ is far better than they know. Don't be discouraged by opposition and resistance. Let Christ's Spirit do His work in the hearts of men. We are the bearers of the light, but it is the Holy Spirit who works in men's hearts.
So, don't be afraid. Get out there and TURN ON THAT LIGHT!
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