Here’s How to Be the Light of the World!

What does it mean to be the light?

Have you ever stopped to contemplate light? Even before God created the sun, moon and stars he created light! The Bible tells us that God is light. When we are saved, we become his children and so we walk in the light and are the light!

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Ephesians 5:8-14

Light is good. We are called here to walk as children of light. To walk, of course, means to live.

So how do children of the light live?

If we are children of light and walk as children of light we need to define what that looks like. The passage quoted above gives us some hints but as we read the New Testament other things become clear. So this is what it takes to be the light. We live this way.

In love

The love we express is unconditional. We don’t just love the agreeable people in our lives we love the less lovable. That means we love worldly people, immoral people, angry people, broken people and hurting people. We express our love through the words we say and the things we do which all spring from the thoughts we have!

In truth

Light reveals truth. As children of light we see the truth in scripture. We embrace that truth. Living in truth means we also have honest dealings with others.

With clarity, perception and discernment

Walking in the light means we are able to perceive what is pleasing to the Lord. We are careful to understand how the truth applies to our lives and we gain the ability to distinguish between good and evil (even subtle evil).

With power

It’s hard to imagine what it would take to be the light without power! We do all this through the power of the Spirit. We exert the power of God through the use of spiritual gifts. Because God has all power and we are his children we experience his power in and through our lives.

With abundant mercy

Children of light are patient and forgiving. These are profound expressions of mercy. We don’t thrust expectations of holy living on those seeking God or even thinking about seeking him.

With overwhelming grace

We demonstrate grace by encouraging, blessing and helping others. We seek good things for the people around us and never expect them to earn our favor.

With compassion

Compassion allows us to see needs around us and to fill them. We provide comfort, hope and peace to those who are hurting and needy.

With generosity

We recognize that we serve a God of abundance, so we live from a sense of abundance. So, we are not miserly, cheap, and negative. We give our time, our talents, our service and our treasure generously knowing that God takes care of all our needs as he has promised.

With humility

If we are to be the light, we must be humble. We embrace the idea: ‘it’s not about me.’ Instead of looking at other people to establish our relative worth, Jesus is always our point of comparison. In him we find personal value and worth as well as the vast gulf between where we are and where God wants us to be in our spiritual lives

With discipline

Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Walking in the light means we do the things we ought to do, with God’s help. We aren’t lazy but diligently follow the path that is set before us.

In obedience

We love God’s will and direction for our lives. He knows what is best for us. He knows how to form us and develop us into the people we need to be. We view obedience as a response of love for all that God has done for us so we obey joyfully and willingly.

With goodness

When we walk in the light, we demonstrate kindness in our daily lives and are good to all around us, not just to those that ‘deserve’ it.

In righteousness

We do the right thing and are in right relationship with God and other followers of Jesus. We also strive to be at peace with everyone as much as we can.

In fellowship

We make the light so much more brilliant when we don’t isolate ourselves from the body. We realize that walking in the light is something we do together.

Void of darkness

If we are to be the light, we are to have no darkness in us at all. Darkness means sin and shame so we live lives that have no sin and shame

Exposing darkness

Before we launch into what it means to expose works of darkness we will ask one question. What are the works of darkness?

Of course, some of the works of darkness are the opposites of the characteristics we have mentioned here. The Bible has several lists that give us some of the works of darkness. Here is one such list.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)

We strive to first of all expose any darkness in our own lives – not necessarily to broadcast them to others but in order for us to confess and repent.

The scripture in Ephesians clearly states that we are to expose the works, not the workers! We are not judgmental. We understand that convicting of sin is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Your Turn

Thanks for hanging with me in the long post. Take some time to think about being a child of light and walking in the light. Ask God to help you more effectively be that child of light and to carry the light. And if you have enjoyed this post, go ahead and share it with someone.