The light of the world.

     You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
     (Matt 5:14-16 RSV)

     Far to often we see the church become like the world around it. This happened with Israel over and over again. God had called them out to be separate from the culture around them. They were a pure people, set apart to worship the true God, to be a light to the nations around them. Others were supposed to see them as they served God, they were supposed to see what it was like to be the chosen people of God, the difference that God could make in the life of a nation, and desire it for themselves. However they soon interminglede with the other nations, adopted their practices, and began to worship their gods. They still held to the worship of God, but it was empty and meaningless, a mere formality. Instead of being a light to thoise around them, they became just like everyone else, walking in darkness!
     In this passage, Jesus has just spoken of the persecution awaiting all those who will follow Him. He then goes on to say You are the salt of the earth, You are the light of the world! Just as everyone is able to see a city on a hill, so we as christians cannot be hidden either. It would be foolish to light a lamp just to cover it up. In the same way, as christians, we have the light of Christ shining in our hearts. We have been called to be God's peculiar people, set apart from the world around us. To shine for Him as we serve Him, going against the grain of the culture around us. People are supposed to see what God has done for us, and desire it for themselves. That is why we are not to be conformed to the practices of this world! That is just like covering up the light. When the world looks at us they should be able to see something different.
     Jesus goes to show how the teachers of the law in His day had found loopholes, and twisted the law so that it was okay not to obey it. He assured everyone that God's law was still to be followed, and then went on to explain the true spirit of that same law.
     How often we cast of morality, and adopt the practices of the world. This should not be. We are God's chosen people, set apart to be like Christ in our conduct. We are to be Holy, pleasing to God in all we do. Paul told the church in Rome to stop being conformed to this world. Instead they were to be transformed as they renewed their minds. We also need to view all we see around us by the lens of the word of God. It is too easy to just go with the flow, but it is also detrimental to our spiritual life, as well as to the spiritual well being of those around us. The world is looking at the church. If you claim to follow Christ, the world is looking at you. What do they see? Just as a lighthouse keeper has a responsibility to warn ships of danger, we have the same responsibility to warn souls of danger. The lighthouse keeper would be in trouble if he failed to shine a light in the darkness, so we too must never allow the light within us to be covered.