“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!”
The other day I was trying to understand this Bible verse, and to help me understand it better I tried to visualize the difference between an optical fiber that is dark and one that carries light. Of course, the only difference between them is that one is carrying light and the other is not, but let’s use this optical fiber illustration to help us better understand this verse and our relationship with God.
Let’s pretend that every human is an optical fiber, except that each of us has been given the ability to see, hear, and make choices. Other than seeing, hearing, and making choices though we can’t do ANYTHING.
Let’s also think of ourselves as being in a deep hole in the ground and in dark, filthy, stinky, foul water. It’s just plain miserable in this pit. This is our world. It’s where we live. We are all totally trapped by our surroundings, and unable to get out.
The Bible tells us that Jesus became one of us, so in our illustration He became an optical fiber too. He chose to join us in our pit of slop, but He kept His connection with the Father of light. Jesus became the only source of light in our dark, filthy world.
Jesus said, “But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5 NLT
When Jesus was here on earth people saw His light, and they were drawn to it. The closer they got to Him the more of His light filled them too. Some of those became so close to Jesus that it was as if they were fused to Him and nothing could come between them, and when Jesus finally left this earth, these people kept their connection to Him and they became bright lights in a dark and slimy world. Each one of them became a “light of the world”.
Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 NLT
You might be asking yourself how you personally can be God’s light in this world, but like the “city on a hilltop” the nice things you do for others is so visible that it cannot be hidden.
And Jesus will say, "I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “ Matthew 25:40 NLT
Today, if you will allow Jesus to place you so close to Himself that nothing can come between the two of you then you too will become “the light of the world”.
“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!”
(Don’t forget where your light originated! It’s from the Lord!)
