Thursday, August 14, 2003, a bit after 4:00 pm, there was a sudden power outage in Manhattan and other boroughs of New York City. Simultaneously all of the computers crashed, the lights went out, and the phones stopped working. Most cell phones apparently were not working because of too much demand or no power in the towers. Subways were shut down. Buses were way, way overcrowded and stuck in traffic. The streets were incredibly overcrowded, with pedestrians everywhere and street traffic at a standstill. Everything was orderly, save the occasional intersection where pedestrians flowed through the lights, ignoring the lone auxiliary policeman who tried to stop them. Traffic was not going anywhere. It was all due to a blackout in the northeastern United States and Canada. When the people walked home, it was so dark that they could not see even their own hand in front of their face; when there was no light the streets disappeared. Without light the world is completely black. This is how much we need light - and how much more do we need the light of God as well.

Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This is a wonderful way in which Jesus teaches us to have a good influence in the world around us. As an illustration it is so simple, yet it describes so clearly the kind of effect we are to have on the world around us. Jesus points out that as lights we must not allow our light to be hidden. As you read this scripture you begin to understand that sometimes we should emphasize our need to do good works, which is to make our light shine. You must do good works that your light may shine. That is actually saying, you will do good works if your light is shining - which may be true, but how to get there?

Many try to do good works so that their light may shine and that the Father be glorified. This makes sense - our good works are important, and they will glorify our Father in heaven. But, I want to see this from a different angle and wish to focus on the word LET. This word is defined as to permit; to allow; to give, grant, or assign, as a work, privilege, or contract; or go; to rent or lease; to make cause. So we need to LET our light shine, not MAKE it shine, as most people do (of course, out of good intensions). They TRY to shine because they want to glorify the Father.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.” “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 8:12; 1:4).

Now, if Jesus is the light of the world, then, when we follow Him by reflecting His character, WE TOO BECOME LIGHTS. Jesus is the light in us. He is God. God is love. So if we have Jesus in us, then we should let His light shine in us, that is, His love; reflect in our heart and in our life. None should try to make it shine, but let it shine. If we let the love of God shine through, then the work which we so much want to do will just come spontaneously. Many try to make their light shine by doing good works that please them. It is like getting the cart before the horse. And the danger is that it builds up a spirit of self-righteousness instead of the fruit of the Spirit. Every church member should feel an interest in all that concerns the human brotherhood and the brotherhood in Christ.

“Love for one another is not to be manifested by praise and by flattery of one another, but by true fidelity. The love of Christ will lead us to watch for souls, and if we see one in danger, we will tell him so, plainly and kindly, even at the risk of his displeasure. The religion of Christ is not to be controlled by impulse. We need to pray much and lean wholly upon God. We need to hold the truth with firmness, and in all righteousness and truth; but while we speak the truth with fidelity, we should speak it in love.”1

“Those who have come together in church capacity can do one hundredfold more than they are now doing to let their light shine forth in the world. They are to come out from the world and to be separate, and to touch not the unclean, but to set their affections on things that are above. They are to live, not to please themselves, but to follow the example of Him who died for their redemption. They are cheerfully to bear the cross, fulfilling their mission to this world by shining as lights in the world.”2