Be Still And Know

Matthew 5:14 One of the most famous of Jesus’ I am sayings was: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Those words don’t come as any surprise to us. He was the Son of God and was without sin. He was clearly able to claim that his perfect life radiated light for all to see. But in today’s verse we are told that we are the light of the world, despite being far from perfect. Jesus’ challenging words have some very practical implications. First of all, to be of any use, light must be put in a prominent position. Just as you cannot hide a city on a hilltop so too Christians need to shine their light for all to see. These days you will often hear people say that religious faith is a private matter, as if it is something that you can do quietly at home without affecting anyone else. That is precisely not the case with Christian faith. It must be shared. Most of the time the influence we will have will not be with our words but with our actions. As people see the sacrificial love of Christians for one ano