Teachings from the Mountainside - Pt. 11

 [Jesus said] “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 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 5:13-16 ESV).

 

While this quote in our meme today is often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, it was probably first used publicly by Adlai Stevenson in a United Nations address about Eleanor Roosevelt when she passed away in 1962. He said, “Yesterday, I said that I had lost more than a friend — I had lost an inspiration: for she would rather light candles than curse the darkness and her glow had warmed the world.”

 

Unfortunately, many people think of Christians as people who curse the darkness. And there is some truth to that. As Christians, we are sometimes known more for what we oppose rather than for being shining models of truth, love, and righteousness. I’ve been accused of being “Pollyanna” in my unbridled optimism. In fact, just this week I received a call from my youngest and only living brother in which he told me some difficult news about his health. He said, “I needed to call you since I knew you’d figure out a way to make it sound much better than it really is.” I’m not sure where I learned that trait. Perhaps it was my mother making me read Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking a half a dozen times; or, maybe it was the simple example of my Dad who never seemed to give up on anything. Perhaps that early training coupled with the hope and assurance of the Scripture has instilled in me a sense in which I know the end will be worth it all.

 

The key is to light the world around us. Jesus calls us to be light in this dark world we live in. We are light when we live all of life in the way God calls us to live. We are light when we treat others with integrity, and when we treat those who disagree with us with kindness. We live as light when we represent a cause that may not be popular but is right. In fact, Jesus explains that it is impossible for Christians not to be light. We are either his followers—his light—or we are not. A candle under a bowl goes out. A city on a hill lights the countryside. Authentic Christians radiate righteousness, truth, and grace. Of course, this light does not come from within ourselves. We are the light of the world only to the extent that Jesus, the true light of the world, lives in us. When we were lost in darkness, Jesus came to us, full of grace and truth, and drew us into his light. Let your light shine today!