Focus: Relevance (Pt.2)

Text: Mt.5:13,14

"Ye are the SALT of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the LIGHT of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

The sun, moon and stars are fixed in heaven, but from there we feel their effects and profit from their meaningful existence. They are relevant to us. They exist to our advantage. We are the greatest beneficiaries of the roles they play in the world. They exist for our sake, and no day passes that they do not fulfill their assigned duties. Their relevance is never in doubt.

Similarly, God has assigned us to shine as lights, and we are irrelevant if we fail to shine. Jesus Christ says, "Let your light shine before men…" He boldly says of Himself, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (Jh.9:5). He brings light and life into everyone's space and chases out moral darkness wherever He is or comes into. Throughout the period of His earthly sojourn He was constantly shining, and everyone could see His light. His relevance was felt by all. 

By His light people see the goodness of God and the error of their own ways. His light is the light of life, of love, and of joy. His life is light. His presence is the presence of light.

How do we let our light shine? What hinders our light from shining? The story of Gideon comes readily to mind. In face of battle against the enemy, he comes up with a strategy of the pitcher. The Scripture says that "he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers" (Judg.7:16). At the appropriate time "the three companies blew the trumpets, and BRAKE the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon" (Judg.7:20). The enemy never saw it coming. The pitchers covered the lamps until they were broken off, and made way for the light to shine forth. As the lights shone on the faces of the enemy, Gideon and his army of three hundred men came upon them and slaughtered them. By the lights Gideon and his army overpowered the enemy and cut them to size. The Scripture says, "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host RAN, and CRIED, and FLED" (Judg.7:21). The Midianites could not stand the army of Gideon because of the power of the lights that they had in their hands.

To let the light shine, we need to break our empty pitchers. The pitchers of self or the flesh cannot let our light shine. The pitchers of carnality and vanity keep our lights from shining. How can your light shine and conquer darkness when all that the people see is your greed, ego, selfishness and the parade of the flesh? The treasure is hiding within the earthen vessel or the empty pitcher, and if it is not broken off, the light cannot shine through.

Let your light shine! John writes that "the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (Jh.1:5). The Midianite army could not withstand the light of the army of Gideon. His armor of light overwhelmed and overcame the enemy. Satan will always bow to the force of your light. People will be drawn to your light, and by your light your God is glorified. When you let your light shine, that indeed is being relevant.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter