Light Always Overcomes Darkness

“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.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

I was snarled in traffic near a Chick-Fil-A the other day. Out in front of the restaurant, close to the road, stood of group of Christians protesting abortion. One of them had a megaphone and was literally quoting Scripture within earshot of all of us who were waiting for the signal to change.

That is something I could never do. I don’t argue with those who choose to serve Christ in that manner. However, I think there are much more effective ways to reach people regarding what Scripture says about moral issues we feel important to communicate. But Jesus did say that we should serve salt on occasion, and a salty gospel fights a decaying world. It also stings when it is used to cleanse a wound even when it’s one of mine.

The truth is boldness in a politically correct world is a difficult quality for most Christians to emulate in their lives. The Bible promises that the Gospel will be offensive and some of us just don’t feel equipped to deal with what being bold brings with it. If this describes you, take heart, because Jesus always provides a way for us to serve him.

In his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus emphasized that salt and light are both important qualities in Christians that the world needs to see. While salt can often be difficult to shake over others that we know, showing God’s light in our lives is something every Christian should find easy to do. Light doesn’t offend. It is quiet, but it is also powerful. When it is turned on, darkness will run from it. But it has a warm, comforting glow to it that draws people. No one wants to live in darkness.

God’s light in the heart of my wife is the reason I know Jesus today. When Robbie and I met in the early 1990’s, I immediately noticed that there was something different about her. As I grew to know her better, I was even more impressed by her smile and attitude. Here was a young lady who was struggling financially. I wondered how she could raise two children on what she made and indeed it was difficult. What I later learned about Robbie was that her faith was a bridge over the troubled waters of her life. That smile came from her faith and it was the light behind it that drew me to her and later led me to Christ. Had I not seen the light on her face through her smile, I would not be sitting here today writing about serving Christ.

Jesus said, “Let our light shine before men, that they may see your good works.” (Matthew 5:16) Notice that they must see light before they will ever notice any good that we have. The first step is ours. But the message here is that if we’ll turn the light on, God will take care of the rest and make sure his goodness is seen in our lives.

Remember, God’s light is a most powerful and effective tool and we have all Christians have his light in them. Felix Adler, a noted Jewish lecturer, said it this way, “The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light. “