You Are the Light of the World

Note from today’s Bible reading: Matthew 5

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the character of those who would be His disciples. One of the points He made had to do with the fact that His followers would necessarily be examples to others.

He said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). The illustration is easy to understand. Light illuminates a room and drives darkness away. Just as a city on a hill will be visible for miles, a candle or lamp in a dark room “cannot be hidden.”

If we are going to follow Christ, we will stand out. We cannot blend in with the world around us and continue to faithfully follow Him. Jesus went on to say, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Since people are going to notice us, we need to make sure they are noticing us doing good. We are to conduct ourselves in such a way that they can see the example of a Christian and be led to the point that they also learn to honor and glorify God.

So remember that you are the light of the world. Rather than thinking that we can go through life unnoticed, we need to show an example of good works. Let us live in such a way that others can see what being a follower of Christ is all about.