Matthew 5:14-16 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

John 8:12 

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

Yesterday we looked at why Jesus compared His followers to salt – how we fulfill that function in our world. In that same passage, Jesus used a different analogy, declaring that His followers were also the “light of the world.” So how do we fulfill that challenge? To really grasp the concept, we need to consider the two things light does: reveals and enlightens.

Light Reveals – The light of Christ, revealed in Scripture and revealed in our lives, exposes the wickedness of the world. This is not a popular role for Christians but without this exposure, evil would grow unrestrained. 

Light Enlightens – Very simply, light shows who God truly is. When people see salvation, when they see hope, when they see joy, when they see a fresh picture of God – that brings light to their hearts. We are called to spread that light.

In what ways can you (using the metaphor of light) be a revealing force for God in your circle of friends?