Last week we talked about Jesus saying that we are the salt of the earth. Salt gives flavor to our food as well as preserving qualities. Jesus wanted the people to know that ahead of them was a life filled with challenges, but they could preserve the truth through their own actions.

Today we want to look at another quality Jesus assigned to His followers. He said in Matthew 5:14-16, “Ye are the light of the world…” (KJV). Jesus is once again giving His disciples an idea of the place they will have in the world when He is gone.

Light is the opposite of darkness and represents those things that are righteous. It represents all that is good, while darkness represents all that is evil.

Before God created the world, there was darkness and void. Then God said, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Good looked at the light and saw that it was good. He approved of what light brought to the beginning of creation. Just as God created light on the earth, so Jesus is saying to His disciples that they will provide light to the world.

Jesus Himself is referred to as “the light of the world” (John 8:12). His light is reflected in us when we follow His example.

The Bible is often portrayed as a message of light as in Psalm 119:105. The psalmist says, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The word of God is to guide us as we live our lives day-by-day.

Paul told the Ephesian Christians to “Walk as children of light.” Had these Christians continued in the sinful ways in which they lived before obeying the gospel, they would have been walking in darkness, not in light. Paul is passing on the responsibility of serving as human lights from the disciples to Christians.

We understand light as opposed to darkness in physical terms, but what about in spiritual terms? How can we see ourselves as light in the world? Let’s look at what Jesus said about light.

In verse 14 He said, “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Lights from the city would easily expose buildings, houses, and any other lights. The city would be visible from any side.

Jesus gives a second example of the nature of light. “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick.” You wouldn’t set your table for a special dinner, put candles out and then cover them so they couldn’t be seen. You would want to let them burn in the open to light the room.

Both of these examples are easy to understand. We understand seeing the lights of a city or candles on our dinner table. Now what about the spiritual?

Verse 16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” In this verse Jesus fully explains exactly what He means. Our example as Christians is to be so clear that those outside of Christ will see our good works (our lights) and see Christ in us.

–Sandra Oliver