The world in which we live is troubling. As Christians, we must understand where the trouble comes from. It is easy to list many reasons for the wrongs we observe: disease, natural disasters, wars, political leaders gone amuck, etc., but the root cause, the real reason for the troubles we have is sin—sin and its impact on creation. Sin brings trouble and discord. Sin has brought trouble to relationships, sickness and inherited diseases to untold millions throughout history—and the list could go on. So whether directly or indirectly, the darkness in the world and in our lives comes from sin.
As Christians, we are called to be the light of the world. There’s an overwhelming thought—people like you and me are called to bring light to the darkness. For parents, that means that our children, who are born in darkness should be exposed to the light from us, first of all. Again, overwhelming! How do we bring light to the darkness?
Christ gives us direction in Matthew’s gospel:
“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 5:14-16
Our task is not as daunting as it may first appear. Our light shines when we are different from those around us—by doing good works that are done for God’s glory. Following God’s ways has a more profound impact than we imagine. For example, simply loving others and openly loving God stands in sharp contrast to the darkness of the world. Selfless love is shinning light into darkness.
May we ask God for courage to live as children of light. There is no better witness to give to your children than to be the light of Christ and his good and perfect word. God has not left us alone, but he has given us his Spirit to illuminate his truth so that our lives may shine with the light of the gospel. The next time you think about all of the reasons for life’s problems, think first about the power of light.