“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”
Matthew 5:14
Merry Christmas from my family to yours! As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus, it’s important to remember that He was the light of this world. When Jesus was born, the wise men saw His bright star and followed it from the east to find Him. Matthew 2:2. Then, when they were in Bethlehem, they continued to follow the star and it led them directly to the house were Jesus lived. Matthew 2:9. God is light and as His children, He passed that light down to us. God does not want us to hide the light He gave us - He wants it to shine brightly, as a star, in and through us. He wants us to display His light in ways that are pleasing unto Him.
Consider using your gifts to serve the Lord and shine brightly. God has blessed each one of us with our own unique talents and abilities, but it is up to us to choose how we use them. There is no better way to be a light to this world than to use your gifts to honor Him. If your talent is singing, join a church choir or sing songs that give glory to the Lord. If you are a writer, write creative and informative books or stories or other written works based on biblical themes, characters and histories. There is so much that you can do!
Being a light in the world also involves volunteering to assist those who are less fortunate, and I have written about that before. 1 Peter 4:10 states, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Our gifts were bestowed upon us to be a blessing to others in the same way that God has blessed us.
Passing on His graces and mercies is the ultimate expression of His love for us and what He continues to do in and for us. God’s light is life and we should use the life He gave us to light up the world - as He intended it. And, just as the wise men followed that bright star to find Jesus, others will follow us to Him.