OLIVE TREE ALLIANCE

 

 

Throughout His ministry, Jesus instructed His followers concerning their function in popular culture. Nowhere is that message clearer than in the following Scripture:

MATTHEW 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Light by its very nature is distinctive. Light attracts attention. Jesus’ rational in the text is obvious. A city located on a hill can be seen from incredible distances in the darkness of night—it cannot be hidden (v.14). The same logic is used for the placement of navigational beacons on mountaintops and prominent land features. Beacons are intentionally positioned for maximizing visibility from great distances to provide guidance in the dark.

 Light also has functionality. Light illuminates. The lamps used to light homes in Jesus’ day were small, oil burning and made of terracotta. Replicas are readily available for purchase in Israel. While largely decorative today, these stylized lamps can still easily illuminate a room when conveniently placed for maximum effect.

Jesus simple illustration forces us to acknowledge that lighting a lamp and putting a cover over it is irrational. Lighting a lamp and then hiding it under a basket not only diminishes its brilliance, but suppresses its power to illuminate.

How do we apply Jesus’ words to 21^st century living?

As people of faith, we have the mandate and power to communicate truth to our culture. In figurative usage, “light” in Scripture always refers to truth. The psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). Speaking to God the Father, Jesus declared, “Your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).

In a very real sense, people of biblical faith are light bearers—beacons in a dark world. You have a choice. You can shroud your light and diminish your influence on culture. Or, you can flood the darkness in the world with light by consistently living in accordance with Scriptural principles.

Today, don’t ignore or fear the darkness: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (v. 16). Be light.

 

IMAGES:
1) The Bible Is the Foundation for Life. (Photo credit: Courtesy Pixabay/[Public domain]/Enhancement, MKM Portfolios)
2) Be Light, (as in Matthew 5:14-16). (Photo credit: Courtesy Pixabay/[Public domain]/Enhancement, MKM Portfolios)

Copyright © Charles E. McCracken 2016, devotional comments only.  Repost/Reprint with permission from the author. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.