Our Stories
You - Yes You! - Are the Light of the World
By Keith Ferrin | posted 10/29/2009
"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 place 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)
I've been hanging out in the Sermon on the Mount lately. While I've heard these words of Jesus for so long, new things are popping out to me. One part that I seem to keep coming back to is right near the beginning where Jesus tells the disciples gathered around Him, "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 place 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."
A couple weeks ago Doug talked about this passage and asked in his follow-up email "What does it mean to be salt and light?" Then last Sunday night I was speaking at an event and early in the evening someone else did a devotional and her passage was - you guessed it - Matthew 5:14-16.
Sometime in between Doug's sermon and last night's devotional I found myself staring at a candle. And I noticed something I never really thought of before. The flame I was looking at had three distinct parts. The first was the yellow part. This provided the most light, was the biggest, and gave off the most heat. It was always moving - doing something. It caused me to pause and ask myself: Am I providing light and warmth to those around me? Am I always doing something, never still and stagnant? (Have you ever noticed that a flame is never idle?) Am I seeking ways to serve and "let my light shine before men...?"
Then there was the blue part. I had noticed the blue part before, but now I found myself in awe of how deep and beautiful it was. The more I looked at it, the more I wanted to look at it. More questions: Does my life add any beauty to the world? Do I bring people joy? Make people smile? Do people feel better about themselves - and the God who made them - when I'm with them?
And then I saw it. The clear part. I guess I've seen it before, but I certainly have never noticed it. What stood out to me was the fact that it was ...well...clear. I could see right through it. In fact, as I looked through it, I found myself looking at the wick. The source of the flame. The center of the flame. The piece that even allowed the flame to keep being a flame. And here they came...more questions: Can people see clearly through me to the Source? Are my "good deeds" being done to bring me glory or my father in heaven? Do I ever stop to recognize that without the Source I don't even have the option of remaining a flame?
The white part, the blue part, and the clear part. Somehow if I am going to shine so that others may see my good deeds "and praise my father in heaven" I think I need to develop all three parts.
Alongside,
Keith
Keith can be reached via email here.
