Growing up, I had days when my Dad or Mum would drive at night, and then the car opposite them would be on full light while they were on half-light. They would then switch immediately to full light in retaliation, like, Mr. Man or Woman, I have full light too, lol. On some occasions, the other driver switches to half-light upon realization, and on other occasions, that doesn’t happen.
Of course, it’s dark, and everyone is expected to have their lights on to see clearly, the problem is just that one driver’s light is negatively affecting another driver.
The purpose of light is to illuminate, disrupt darkness, and enable one to see, however, the problem comes when a particular light is blasting directly into your eyes that you end up shutting them immediately. That light’s purpose is blinding and not enlightening.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. — Matthew 5:14(NKJV)
We were called to shine as light. Our light is meant to shine brightly for the world to have sight and not to blind them. It’s to guide and bring people into the love of God. But when we shine that only to judge others like we’re the best thing since sliced bread, with no love in our interaction, then we’re on our path to blinding them. Light of the world don wake but are you serving your purpose or is the effect of your light sending people away instead of drawing them nearer?
Some of us are becoming more like the Jews, we’ve made ourselves custodians of the law and special police for the Gospel. Calling everyone out, not out of love but to prove a point that we’re holier or more knowledgable, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ didn’t do that.
Let’s check the account of what happened to the woman caught in adultery in John 8, they had brought her to Jesus to hear what he would say about the matter, Jesus didn’t condemn her; he did the opposite.
When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. — John 8:10–11
Just play this out in our day and time, they had just caught a thief in your flat and everyone is giving that thief a piece of their mind, then they ran to call you from your room to say, ‘Hey, what do you have to say to this matter?’ You’ll agree that the last thing on your mind at that moment isn’t saying something loving or even preaching to that thief. You’ll want to give the person a piece of your mind, right? At that moment instead of shining your light for the thief to see, you’ll be shining it so bright to blind his eyes from seeing.
In that same chapter of John, after Jesus spoke to this woman in verse 11, He then made a remarkable statement in verse 12;
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. — John 8:12
Wow, this means that even though I’m the light of the world, I’m not going to condemn you. I’m going to show you the way so that you don’t walk in darkness. I want you to have life.
It’s amazing the standard Jesus has set for us. This is really mind-blowing, that in that very moment when all we want to do is condemn, Jesus is saying;
Shine that light, don’t get them Blind.
Your act of love when it’s least expected is a light calling others to see. That decision to listen when no one cares is going to leave a mark on someone’s heart, a mark that can begin the life-changing journey that can turn their stony heart into full flesh.
Don’t let your first disposition toward people you meet be to judge them but be an open book, be willing to love them irrespective of who they are while hating any characteristic that isn’t Christlike, and still shine your light in love. Pray for them. When you need to communicate the need for a change, do it in love and not out of spite or that superior position of “I’m better than you.”
At the end of the day, we’ve all been called into the Ministry of Reconciliation which is the highest show of love to our brothers and sisters, however, we must do that with so much love.
Your fragrance of the knowledge of God is not to choke others but to get them blessed. There’s a clear difference between spraying a perfume that is choking your roommate and one that gives that sweet fragrance that he/she would want to keep smelling. Let your knowledge of God draw men closer to Him.
Light of the world, shine that light but don’t get others blind so they don’t further lose their way from the truth.
From your fellow Light of the world.
Keep on shining
Ifekristi Ojediran.
Instagram: @ifekristi_