Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to learn a lesson or two about what it means to share the good news of Jesus with others, through a simple drive down Spring Oaks Road in Altamonte Springs, Florida. As I was heading down the long trek surrounded by beautiful and imposing trees characteristic of Central Florida roads, I was met by an oncoming car with flashing headlights. Not realizing what this meant, I flashed back my lights (it was my first impulse) and continued my drive.
Farther down the road, I realized what was going on: I was being warned! There were two policemen monitoring traffic and making sure we were all driving at the appropriate speed limit.
Light of the World
As I continued my drive, this whole scenario made me think of the importance and value of communication, of sharing a message to the world we are a part of. The Bible is clear to say that we are “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). We have the responsibility of “flashing our lights”, if you will, of sending out a message that will help the world wake up to the reality that we are facing the end of the timeline of Earth’s history. And if you stop and think about it for a minute, we’re not just sending out a warning, such as the warning I received on Spring Oaks Road. We are sending out a loving message that says: “There is hope for humanity, and it can be found in Jesus Christ!”
One more thing stands out from Matthew 5:14. It doesn’t say “we are (a) light to the world.” In the New International as well as the King James and New Living Translation versions that I have, it clearly says “you are (THE) light of the world.” This teaches me that the world is full of “flashing lights”, messages that convey good and bad things, but we are asked by God to be THE definitive message bearers of this day, bringing hope to a world that is increasingly hopeless. With the amazing opportunity that God has given us to share His loving truths, we can make a difference in the world around us by flashing THE light that we ourselves once received.
Matthew 5:16 says it best: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
