On Being ‘En-light-ened’

By David Melton, President, Boston Baptist College

Read Matthew 5:14-16.

The hillside context of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was as familiar to His audience as anything possibly could be.  Galileans walked those hills constantly.  Once the sun went down, however, those hills were treacherous unless you had a little oil lamp, tended with olive oil.  Jesus talked about those little lamps several times in His parables and sermons – the very same kind of lamps mentioned in Psalm 119:105.

The Lord made it clear that those of us who follow Him ARE light.  We are not commanded to “be” light – to somehow, in our own creative genius, generate some lumens.  That would be a tall order.  We are “the light of the world,” made so by the One who Himself is true LIGHT.  Maybe we are small lamps, but light we are. Disciples apparently can “hide it under a bushel,” but that doesn’t extinguish the light that God has created in us. The issue isn’t whether or not we are lamps but our visibility or lack thereof.

We are “the light of the world,” made so by the One who Himself is the true light.  Maybe we are small lamps, but light we are. Click To Tweet

I guess the story may not be historical, but it has given me plenty of smiles through the years. As the story goes, a US Destroyer was patrolling the foggy New England coast during the Second World War.  When oncoming lights were identified, the USS Lincoln sent out a radio warning.

“Divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.”

A reply came, “Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.”

“This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert your course.”

“I say again, Sir, you divert your course.”

“This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the US Atlantic fleet. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees north, or we will undertake countermeasures! 

“This is a lighthouse, sir; your call.”

This is a darkened world that may ignore the light of Christ. But shine on we must.  We don’t have to be bright.  We just have to stay out of hiding.  

Reflective Questions:

1. How is the presence of Jesus in my life a light that is recognizable?
2. In what ways do we “hide” the light of Jesus, and why in the world do we do that?
3. How can we help others give glory to God (not to us) for the light and good works they see in us?

Memory Verse:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (KJV)

Prayer:

Dear God, help me to understand the importance of representing Jesus in everything that I do. I want to be a light in the dark world in which I live. Help me to live in such a way that others can see my good works and glorify You.

Related Scriptures

Psalm 119:105; Philippians 2:15; John 8:12; Ephesians 5:8-14; Proverbs 4:18; I Peter 2:12; I John 1:5-7; Isaiah 60:1-3