SPREADING LIGHT

 

A rather interesting quote that caught my eye that is worth reflecting on.  There are different ways of interpreting this quote depending on what your main focus is and how you look at it, so I’ll give my interpretation of what it means to me personally.

 

In thinking about this quote, I want to first define what the word “light” means to me using these two Bible verses as a reference point.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  –1 John 1:5  (NIV)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  –John 8:12  (NIV)

Isn’t it interesting that reading these two Bible verses we learn that God is light AND that Jesus is the light of the world?  How perfect that in this case we can use the saying “like Father, like Son!”

I would then rewrite that quote saying,

 

 

Did you catch the ending of the John 8:12 verse?  We learn that if we follow Jesus, WE will have the light of life!  What an honor and privilege to have the light of life in us!  Could that light in us represent the candle or mirror from the quote?

 

 

What is a candle like?  

 

It first needs a “source” to get it started, right?

In this case, the source is none other than God and Jesus!

Once the candle is lit it continues to shine brightly because of the source…God & Jesus in us.

As we keep “feeding” that source through reading Scripture, praying, fellowshipping with other believers, the flame will continue to shine brightly.

 

Photo courtesy of Thomas under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

 

The candle

 

….emits light into the darkness of this world

…casts shadows on other’s lives

…lights other people’s candles

…warms other’s lives

…never gets dimmer even with lighting other’s candles

…its light illuminates the path

 

 

Photo courtesy of Carlos under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

What is a mirror like?

 

….reflects only what is seen

…brings awareness of our lives

….reflects truth

…if living sinfully darkness will reflect

…if living for God and Jesus light will be reflected

…reflects light in a way proportional to the original object–the light of God & Jesus.

 

Be encouraged this week to be both the candle and the mirror of spreading the light of God and Jesus to others!

 

Photo courtesy of Gavin Loynes under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”  –Acts 13:47  (NIV)

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.   Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.    –Matthew 5:14-15  (NIV)

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.   –John 1:5  (NIV)