“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 (ESV)
I first encountered this verse during a Sunday School session when I was twelve. I remembered thinking, "Whoa, cool. I am the light of the world. I will shine for my friends." And there began my journey of faith, which now I realized was an obnoxiously self-righteous faith. I thought I was being the light of the world, while I couldn't even tell what brokenness is.
Ten years later, I realized that there is no way on earth that I am the light of the world. Light of the world, heck, I'm not even capable of lighting my own life. Luckily, through the grace of God, I encountered another verse:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
I realized that this verse sets out the context of the other verse. Men are the light of the world, but the light of men was in the Word. Our responsibility was not to bear light that comes from within, but to bear the light that comes from an eternal source, a source that has been there since "the beginning".
Our responsibility was merely to welcome Light into our lives, and to let this Light shine out of our lives.
From then on, my prayer changed from "Lord, may I be a light" to "Lord, may Your light come into my life, and may it shine out of me". For a moment, I was relieved, because my duty is merely to "transmit" the light, not generate it. Well, this is a more realistic duty.
However, as light shines through my life, it touches the darkest and dustiest corners, the scariest demons, and the deepest voids of my heart. The more I welcome this Light to come, the more I see that I am broken. Sometimes it is too much. Sometimes, just like this morning, I just want to close the curtains, cuddle inside my comfortable shadows of ignorance, and go back to sleep.
But this fragment of truth echoes: "...and the light was the life of men."
Perhaps, then, I have two choices. Stay in the darkness and sleep, or embrace the light and live.
I used to think that this idea of "bearing light" is exclusive to Christianity. However, last week, I had the privilege to observe a family celebration of Deepavali. This Festival of Light involves a five-day extended ceremonies of food, family, and fragrant celebrations. However foreign this new culture is to me, I realized that the spirit of the festival is woven in the very same fabric as my own belief. In the heart of Deepavali is a prayer for light to walk into our lives; and not only our lives, but also the lives of everyone on earth. During Deepavali, the Hindus are interceding for the whole world to receive the light.
Perhaps, then, the whole world is yearning for the light.
Perhaps, then, the whole world has two choices. Stay in the darkness and sleep, or embrace the light and live.
"...let your light shine before others..."
God give me strength to let the light shine.
Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
I first encountered this verse during a Sunday School session when I was twelve. I remembered thinking, "Whoa, cool. I am the light of the world. I will shine for my friends." And there began my journey of faith, which now I realized was an obnoxiously self-righteous faith. I thought I was being the light of the world, while I couldn't even tell what brokenness is.
Ten years later, I realized that there is no way on earth that I am the light of the world. Light of the world, heck, I'm not even capable of lighting my own life. Luckily, through the grace of God, I encountered another verse:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
John 1: 1,4-5 (ESV)
I realized that this verse sets out the context of the other verse. Men are the light of the world, but the light of men was in the Word. Our responsibility was not to bear light that comes from within, but to bear the light that comes from an eternal source, a source that has been there since "the beginning".
Our responsibility was merely to welcome Light into our lives, and to let this Light shine out of our lives.
From then on, my prayer changed from "Lord, may I be a light" to "Lord, may Your light come into my life, and may it shine out of me". For a moment, I was relieved, because my duty is merely to "transmit" the light, not generate it. Well, this is a more realistic duty.
However, as light shines through my life, it touches the darkest and dustiest corners, the scariest demons, and the deepest voids of my heart. The more I welcome this Light to come, the more I see that I am broken. Sometimes it is too much. Sometimes, just like this morning, I just want to close the curtains, cuddle inside my comfortable shadows of ignorance, and go back to sleep.
But this fragment of truth echoes: "...and the light was the life of men."
Perhaps, then, I have two choices. Stay in the darkness and sleep, or embrace the light and live.
I used to think that this idea of "bearing light" is exclusive to Christianity. However, last week, I had the privilege to observe a family celebration of Deepavali. This Festival of Light involves a five-day extended ceremonies of food, family, and fragrant celebrations. However foreign this new culture is to me, I realized that the spirit of the festival is woven in the very same fabric as my own belief. In the heart of Deepavali is a prayer for light to walk into our lives; and not only our lives, but also the lives of everyone on earth. During Deepavali, the Hindus are interceding for the whole world to receive the light.
Perhaps, then, the whole world is yearning for the light.
Perhaps, then, the whole world has two choices. Stay in the darkness and sleep, or embrace the light and live.
"...let your light shine before others..."
God give me strength to let the light shine.
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