In this week of Christmas posts, we’ve learned that Jesus shines his light into our lives so that we can be a part of his family. In a previous post this week, I mentioned that one of Jesus’ earliest followers, a guy named Paul, wrote in 2nd Corinthians that people can be deceived so that they cannot see the light of truth. But Paul had a bit more to say to those of us living in darkness. He said,
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ [when he created the world], made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
We can know God by placing our faith in him, and we show we have placed our faith in him when we give our lives to follow his ways. That’s how we can receive his light. But it is not as though Jesus wants us to keep his light for ourselves.
Jesus, who is the Light of the world, would teach his followers that,
“You are the light of the world. A city 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 men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
When we receive Jesus’ light in our lives, he welcomes us into his family, and he leads us to live in such a way that we are shining his light to others by our good deeds. When we live a life that is like the kind of life Jesus lived, we reach out to help those in need, the hungry, the sick, the prisoner, the hurting, the lonely, to those walking in darkness. We shine the light of Jesus in their darkness.
When you see the Christmas lights, may you think not only about Jesus, the light of the world, but also think about how you are shining his light in this world. How will 2023 be a year in which you shine brighter? How will live more lovingly, graciously, generously to the people who need it most in our community?
Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash
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