You are the Light!

This morning I was reading Matthew 5 in my One Year Bible, and I was struck by the word picture that Jesus uses to describe the relationship of His followers to the world. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house" (5:14-15, NLT).

As our culture seems to slip further into darkness and depravity, we still hear the clear challenge of Jesus, "YOU ARE THE LIGHT." John Stott has made the following observation about Jesus' admonition:

“If the house is dark when the nightfall comes, there is no sense in blaming the house; that is what happens when the sun goes down. The question to ask is ‘Where is the light?’ …It is sheer hypocrisy on our part to raise our eyebrows, shrug our shoulders, or wring our hands. The Lord Jesus told us to be the world’s salt and light. If therefore darkness and rottenness abound, it is largely our fault and we must accept the blame.”