We Are to be Reflectors of the Light

Philippians 2:15 – “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

When Jesus was here on earth, He was “the Light of the world” (John 8:12); but now that He has returned to heaven, we as Christians have been left here for a reason: to reflect “the Son of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2) to those who dwell in the darkness of sin.

Paul reminds us of this important truth in 2 Cor. 4:6, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. In this passage we are admonished to live blameless, harmless lives in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and thus “shine as lights in this sin darkened world.”

Beatrice Tice tells of a tenement district in New York City where a boy in ragged clothes was seen with a small piece of broken mirror in his hand. Holding it high in the air he moved it slowly back and forth, watching the narrow slit of a window above him as he did so. “What are you doing?” a man suddenly demanded as he shook the youngster roughly by the shoulder. “Like most boys in this neighborhood,you’re probably up to some mischief, aren’t you?” The boy looked up into the stern face of his accuser and said, “See that window up there? Well I have a little brother who has a room on that floor. He’s a cripple. The only sunlight he ever sees is what I shine up to him with my mirror!” The man was ashamed that he had spoken so gruffly, realizing that the lad was doing a kind deed in reflecting the sun’s rays to his lonesome brother in a cheerless tenement building.

Friend, you don’t have to be a preacher, a bible college graduate or a deacon to let your light shine for Jesus. You can radiate His light to others wherever you are – in your neighborhood, at school, at work, while you are shopping – wherever you may be. Remember, if you don’t shine the light, that person may never hear the truth about salvation. Let your light so shine, that others might see.