Last week’s article explored how Jesus calls His followers the “salt of the earth” and what that means for the Christian. But there’s another metaphor in the Sermon on the Mount that likens Jesus’ followers to something else. Immediately after comparing His followers to salt, Jesus compares them to light:
“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.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
In addition to participating in preserving, enhancing, and healing the world as salt, followers of Jesus act as sources of light. In both these metaphors, believers add something good to the world and help accomplish Jesus’ mission on earth as we follow His leadership. So what does it mean to be the light of the world?
Our purpose is to be seen!
A light doesn’t serve its purpose when it’s hidden. In Matthew 5, Jesus jokes that no one puts a lighted lamp under a bowl. In a modern comparison, it would be like switching on every lamp in a dark room and then quickly draping blankets over all the lampshades to block the light so it’s as dark as it was before. The lamps aren’t fulfilling their purpose when no one can see the light they give. Similarly, the image of the city on a hill reminds me of a lighthouse. A lighthouse would do no good if it didn’t stand out where it could be seen from ships passing by. The lamps allow people to see what’s around them, while a lighthouse or a city on a hill provides a reference point to guide people to a safe place. Rather than hide, the Christian is to stand out and point others to Jesus, to safety and truth.
The Bible uses light as an image for truth.
We don’t stand out to be different just for fun—our light has a purpose. Other passages in the Bible show the importance of what light signifies. For example, Psalm 119:105 compares God’s Word to a lamp that shows a person the right way to go: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” In John 8:12, Jesus compares Himself to light using the same language as Matthew 5: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” As Jesus is the light of the world, we are also representatives of that light, as emissaries or “little Christs.” Of course, we can no more measure up to Jesus than a flashlight to the sun, but He calls us to be light in a dark world nonetheless. Our purpose is to lead people toward the Way the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) and to glorify our Father in Heaven. By doing so, we can’t help but stand out.
We are being watched.
This visibility gives us a grave responsibility. As Matthew 5 states, we give light to everyone, and they see what we do. We need to be careful, then, that what we do gives glory to God. More than our words, the light we give shines most strongly from our behavior. Standing out in the wrong way will not lead people in the right direction. Our light should give comfort, and welcome, and clear vision, leading people toward the Father and not away.
We’re not the keepers of secrets. There were instances when Jesus instructed people not to reveal certain things about Him for a time (Matt. 17:9, Mark 8:30, Luke 8:56, etc.), but that time is over! Now we are to be bold imitators of Jesus who is the true Light of the world. Our behavior should be so distinctive that we stand out like a beacon and make people want to know more about what makes us the way we are. So let’s be shiny! Let’s emulate the lighthouse that guides people to safety, the lantern that lights their path, and the porch light that welcomes them home.
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