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What does it mean to “be the Light”? Is it the concept of telling everyone else how to live in a holy way? Or, is it something else entirely?
Welcome back to day 25 of the 30 Days of Prayer series. We are wrapping up and are down to the final days. I’m so thankful to have enjoyed this series with you.
Do you know that you are a Light in this dark world? You are called for a purpose, and that Light within you is a precious gift for all to see.
Let’s dig in to learn how to let our little Light shine.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed a similar trend, but the enemy is working feverishly to steal the verbiage of the Kingdom. Namely, the concept of Light and Love. There is a belief system in play that welcomes in these general ideas, but without the anchor of scripture to hold them in Truth.
But, friends, WE have this Truth. We have the fullness of the Truest Light and the deepest Love, yet most of us struggle with fleshing it out. It can be tricky to bring forth this little seed that is in us to transform it into a mighty oak of faith.
Yet, that is the call: to take the seed of the Spirit that is planted deep within us and nurture it in the good soil of our souls with the fertilizer of a walk with our Abba, that it may bear much fruit for the Kingdom in the works of love and Truth that we bring into the world.
It is a glorious experience to walk with the greatest Lover of your soul.
This walk is what positions our inner selves to a higher vantage point that we may receive the perspective of the One who sits on the highest mountain top to teach us the best way to live in this world. And, as we lean into this process of living, exchanging the destructive ways of the world at large to the nourishing and fulfilling ways of our Abba, we are transformed into new creations.
In this transformation, the Light shines more and more brightly from within us as we are sanctified and made holy in Him that we may be the Light, because of His Light.
This little Light we hold deep within is the source of our deepest ability to love selflessly and without ego. For the fullness of the One who planted the seed is present in the peace that opens the door for love to flow. That fullness is found in the fulfilling works of Christ.
It is a profound mystery that exchanges the common for the majestic; the broken for the healed and complete; poverty for the greatest riches; and self-protection for intentional vulnerability.
This is merely a slice of the fullness we have before us.
In Him we exchange the ways, thoughts, and deeds of darkness for those of the Ways of Light, His Light. These Ways are laid out in the Word of God, that we might see clearly the path laid out before us.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” ~ Ps. 119: 105
But, to be the Light we must access this Light, and, therefore, diligently seek it out with intention. One cannot stumble into walking in the Light. This is what it means to Love the Lord with ALL your personhood (heart/soul/mind/strength).
Walking in the Light requires intentional living. Intentional living requires mindfulness and purposeful actions.
To be the Light you must first know the Light and know the source of the Light, which is Yahweh, our Abba, made manifest in the fullness of Christ.
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What are these purposeful actions?
Thankfully, we have the anchor of the Word to clearly help us to understand what are the things that relate to the Light of God that is planted within us. Whereas the world promotes the “light” as a means for self-centered living, the Word explains it quite differently, as a means for selfless living.
‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” ~ Matt. 22: 36-40
What does the entire Torah hang on? What is the heart and soul of the Way of God? LOVE. True Love. A Love that puts our walk with our Abba as the centerpiece of life.
It is through this walk that we experience His grace and mercy in our lives, undeserved yet freely offered.
This walk is what establishes a constant turning to Him for guidance as we navigate the varied roads of life to determine the way to go. And, it is from this right relationship with the Creator, a connection built on self-sacrifice in Love, that we learn how to turn around and extend that same love outwards to others.
In this way we become the reflection of the Light to the darkness in the world. And, as we continue in this process, becoming One with our Maker through this heavenly marriage, we transform from the inside out. It is this transformation of self that paves the way for an extension of love towards others.
You cannot pour more into others than has been poured into you.
From a right relationship with our Abba, we find the fullness of our purpose. Through this purpose, we realize that we were fearfully and wonderfully made. In this knowledge, we embrace that He extends unlimited, unconditional Love for us as His carefully created children. So, it is from this place of acceptance and Love that we can freely love others.
Why?
Because, when we internalize our absolute value declared once and for all by the Creator of the universe, whose opinion and perspective matters more than any perspective of man, we realize that everyone else ALSO is declared to be worth exactly the same as us.
From our vantage place of Love in God, we embrace the love for others as made in the image of God, too. As we grow to understand His mercy and grace poured out willingly and freely into us, we desire more deeply for others to have the same poured into them.
THIS is what it means to be the light in this world. This is how we bring forth the seed buried deep within that it might bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.
What is the fruit? Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
These are not found in the works of the flesh, which is the darkness.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” ~ Gal. 5: 19-21
Let me speak it plainly: to be the Light is to live in a rightful relationship with God first and from that relationship engage with others in a rightful way.
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This rightful way includes taking personal responsibility for misbehaviors or poor choices, paying the full price for a good service, joyfully replacing an item that you’ve broken (intentionally or accidentally), looking for ways to bless others in the big or small needs of life, considering the well-being of others when making decisions (like whether or not to go to work when sick, or deciding whether or not to speak a critical word to someone, etc), speaking from a place of calm rather than anger and taking action to calm down first if needed, and on the list goes.
This rightful way of engagement does not place us in a position of abuse. Rather, we are placed in a position of power. However, our power is not to be wielded as the world wields.
A fantastic example of this distinction is shown in Matthew 20. The mother of two of the disciples, James and John (the “Sons of Thunder”), asked Yeshua if her sons could sit at His right hand and left. In essence, she asked for them to be placed into positions of great influence and power within the Kingdom of God.
And, the rest of the disciplines became indignant. They were angry. Who do these guys think they are? Asking to be the top disciples? They’re just power-hungry and greedy. How selfish of them!
But, Jesus, knowing their thoughts, addressed their concerns:
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~ vv. 25-28
Our rightful relationship with God demands that we live out a life that reflects the life of Christ. His life was characterized by humility, service, love, generosity, kindness, patience, protection for the weak, compassion, empathy, and freedom.
To be the Light is to serve the world for the Love of mankind because of the Love of God. It is not a state of imperviousness, where we do not engage with humanity. Rather, it is a place of intentional vulnerability where we meet humanity in the throes of its brokenness. From there we extend a Love that wants the best for others, even if it means we take a personal loss in the moment.
This loss is not a concern, because we know our Abba and His abundant provision. We know that we don’t have to strive to self-protect, because He cares for us.
To be the Light, we must first know the Light, and the Light is found only in the Son.
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
Abba, thank you for the Light of the World that has come into the world for my blessing and guidance. Your Son shines so brightly for me to learn the Ways of Light; Your Ways. Help me to learn how to be the Light, the True Light, in this world. Let Your Light shine brightly through my life.
Show me how I am to live that my works may be the works of Your Light. Let me not grow weary in doing the good things. Rather joyfully carry them out through Your Spirit, buried deep within me. Your Ways are a Light to my path. Thank You, always, for showing me the Way I am to walk. Help me to always seek You out as I step. In Your Son’s name, amen.
Sweet sister, may the Light of God fill you up as you turn to Him in all wisdom and Truth.
May His Love fill you to the brim. May there be no darkness within you as you are transformed into a new creation.
And, from this indwelling of the Holy Spirit, may you grow and mature to an Oak of Righteousness. May you joyfully do the works of the faith that reveal the inner Light that shines from within.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” ~ Eph. 5: 8-11
This little Light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Shalom.
Was this post an encouragement to you today? Share and comment below. Your comments mean the world to me, encouraging me immensely, and help me to push onward in this work that the Lord has called me to do.
