Think about how much light we each can shine in this world. If it seems somewhat dimmer and less hopeful now than in years past, perhaps we’re just not doing enough personally and collectively to reflect light back into life, onto everything and through us all. Life makes it easier for us to glow with light because of all the brokenness , cracks and flaws we experience and “wear” like badges of honor just by living through hardship, grief, pain and suffering. So if life seems dimmer to us, perhaps we’re not focused on how we might use what we have, what we are, what we’ve endured and what has happened to us for the sake of the making everything around us brighter. As written in Matthew 5: 13 – 16:  13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We who are Christians are to be reflections of God’s light in this world emulating the example of Jesus Christ during his time here on Earth; His love should be so discernible and obvious through us by the way we live that all might know us by it. But many are hiding their light under their egos, many don’t realize how brightly they can shine in spite of what they’ve endured, and many are fatigued in spirit by the fallen nature of this world. As it says in Hebrews 12,  ” . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross . . ” And as it reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:  4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  

Surely, the challenge of life is to live according to the will and purpose of God; as Christians, to mature in Christ, becoming the embodiment of His human example so that others will want what we have and to be like us! We’re all at different stages of our maturation in that regard. Only by focusing on the goal of spiritual maturity do we become walking, talking, living, breathing, bright lights of Christian examples for the world! We cannot do that being fearful, disempowered, disobedient, defeated, beaten-down or apathetic. We are losing the world while we let our lights grow dim, whether by choice or by circumstance. Now is not the time to let the light fade; it is now the time to live by example a life of bold faith, courage, conviction, obedience, contentment and peace! We are called to be the faithful, we shouldn’t be so faith-less!