Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
When I was a lot younger and doing my tour of duty in the service one of the tasks I enjoyed the most was being what was called “an aggressor against other units.” This involved being a separate unit and going around and harassing all the other units that were out on maneuvers.
This took place a lot at night so we had to be very silent. We would sneak up on the other squads at night and run through where they were set up or cut their communication lines. It was our task to get them and us ready in case we had to go to war. One of the ways we would find them a lot was to watch for people smoking cigarettes at night. We would drive with our lights off and watch the surrounding hills and woods and just watch and pretty much from a long way off we could tell when someone was smoking or had a fire who wasn’t supposed to have one started. You would see the light glow up and then dim again and this is how we knew where to go next.
Their light would shine from a great way off and then as others in their platoon would have a light that they were not supposed to be using we would soon be right outside their camp. Once we were that close we would start our harassment, some times it might just be firing blanks in the air other times we would sneak as close as we could get and pull the tent stakes out or let the air out of their vehicle tires. But the very first thing we usually did was to cut the lines of their field phones. Once this was done we would have them separated and by the time they got the help we would be gone.
A little light
But yet that one little light did so much, it would shine for a long distance for all to see. Do this take and get a room as dark as you can then in the center of the room light one candle and see how much it actually shines. This is like the light that we have in Jesus we let it shine to others, so either they can find someone who cares or you can find them.
At the end of our maneuvers, we would be asked to tell how why we were so good at finding the other units and cutting them off from others. Our reply would be you can’t hide your lights, as much as you try the lights you have will shine through. We had lenses we would put on our flashlight that was red to use at night, but try as you might you could not completely hide your lights.
As Christians we don’t want to do is to hide our lights, we should let them shine through for all to see. When I look back at the ones who shone their light to me to help me find my way it actually started as a young boy, and continue into adulthood. One time I told My Father-in-law I would like to read the Bible and it was as if he was waiting for me to ask because it seemed like out of nowhere he had a bible in his hand handing it to me. He was one of those great lights that helped lead me to the safety of my Fathers love.
Driving
If you ever drove along the coastline and seen the lighthouses that still stands today their light when it is on is there for a warning to ships out on the ocean. The light in those old light house will shine for miles out to over the water to help others find their way safely home. This is another use that the light within us is used for. Or if you ever drove past a windmill at night and seen the light on top of it this it to let planes know where they are located.
So think about it what all the Light of Jesus which is in you means to you and others, He is there to help you in your travels to make it home, He is there to warn you of troubles and obstacles that come in your way, He is there to comfort you when there seems like there is no comfort to be found, and He is there just to hold your hand when you needed it held. The light that shines within us is seen by so many others so the brighter your light shines the more that will see it. And just knowing that Jesus is that light within me is enough for me. How about you?
Note earlier before I mentioned how we would cut the lines to our opposers’ field phones to cut their communication off from others, please remember to keep the lines of communication open to others and to our Lord so that you don’t feel like you are are all alone.
May God Bless you and your light never go dim.