Be a light in a dark world

Before social media was in our hands, Jesus called his followers to be influencers. An influencer has the ability, through their knowledge, expertise and personality, to direct people's behaviors, create trends and change the atmosphere of an environment. Jesus declares that those who follow him are influencers; they are the "light of the world" (Matthew 4:14.)

You do not appreciate the value of light until it is missing. When a blackout results from a storm and you are sitting in the dark, you breathe a sigh of relief when the lights finally come back on. Movie directors influence their audiences' emotions with their use of lighting. What Jesus says is that those who follow him are light. They are the ones who have the potential to influence both people and places around them. How, though, do you influence and change things around you?

First, consider the declarative statement, "You are the light of the world." Jesus isn't extending an invitation to be something but a revelation of who you are. Every person has the capacity to influence others. Those who follow Jesus have been assigned to influence the place and people around them.

Second, the illustration is that light cannot be hidden. An illuminated city can be seen for miles away. If you have ever had the opportunity to fly at night, you can see all the villages and towns dotted across the landscape by their lights. You can pick out a baseball field in the middle of the corn patch by the lights letting boys and girls to play late into the night. Light coming from a city on a hill cannot be hidden. You are like that light. Who you are and what you do cannot be hidden.

Third, light is a beacon. A few years ago, my wife and I traveled to an island with a lighthouse that began functioning in 1736. For 287 years, the light has guided sailors home.

People as light function in a similar manner as the lighthouse. People reflect the light they have been given. Your light causes places and people to be better. It is easy to demean, belittle, and discourage others, plunging all into darkness. The hard but vital action is to be light for the discouraged. To be light to the broken. To be light in a dark world.