Light of the World
Whatever problems you may be facing today, it is always important to take time to think, not about who you think you are, but about who God says you are.
This is why taking time to be still and reflect like you are doing right now is important, even potentially life changing. It is not a waste of time. So read on.
Immediately following Jesus’s statement about you being Salt comes the following statement about you being Light. What might this mean?
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
Light is both familiar and a highest order mystery.
My working definition of light is the electromagnetic radiation in a narrow wavelength range that is detectable by the human eye.
We don’t see light in a vacuum absent dust particles. We do see it at its source (the sun or light bulb) and we also see what it shines upon.
Light is what makes vision a thing. No light, no sight. Also, no light, no colors (each coming from a different wavelength, except the color white). Roses are red and violets are purplish only if there is light and sight.
As salt is a constant, so is light. It travels at exactly 299,792,458 metres per second, or about 186,282 miles per second. No slower or faster. Always the same.
Everything we see looking into the night sky is a point of light. Our days are caused by light coming to us from one of these celestial objects which is a fairly small star compared to others further distances away. It just happens to be the perfect size for what we need. Without light, not only is there no sight, there is no life.
Light has no weight (or as a scientist would describe it, no mass, and yet in high concentrations it can incinerate metals. It has properties that behave as if it is a particle (we call these packets of light “photons”) and others as if it is a wave.
Light was at the beginning of the universe according to both science and Scripture. Read the beginning of the first book in the Bible and this is what it says:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:1-3 (ESV)
So here are some things to ponder.
He never says we are the heat of the world.
Salt is invisible in water but you know it by taste. Light is invisible in space but you know it by by everything it shines upon. What might this tell us about how we should live as God followers?
Jesus never calls himself the salt of the earth, yet he does call himself the light of the world. Why might this be?
Could one of the differences between the two descriptions (salt of the earth, light of the world) have to do with the differences between the words “earth” and “world?”
I’ll leave it there today. You think about any or all of my observations and leave a comment below. I’d love to know your thoughts.
Light is so important to God that when you read the story of creation God spends more time creating and talking about the light than any other thing in creation. As you pointed out, light has more recognizable qualities than salt. Light can be seen from a distance which means it is readily recognizable. SO, if we are the light of the world then when people recognize that light, then they can experience us being both light and salt.
The people who shine a light in my life are very genuine. Not only are they upbeat and positive, they are a joy to be around. I find myself wanting to respond in a similar fashion. I appreciate in your message today there are practical suggestions on how we too can follow that call to be the light.