Jesus, the Light of the World

Recently, I was walking around dusk. When I started, I could see a few things nearby—the path, a parked trailer, and three fawns. As night approached, the light around me faded, and I could see less and less. Eventually, I came upon a bench sitting under a very bright light. Suddenly, everything shifted. Before, I could identify my surroundings, albeit dimly. Now, under the bright light, I could only see myself and the immediate area around me. The space beyond the light was completely dark, and I felt exposed.

In last week’s article, I mentioned how UN peacekeeping troops helped protect post-war Liberia, but this also meant that UN checkpoints were everywhere. If our Land Rover approached a checkpoint after dark, our driver would turn off the headlights and turn on the dome lights. Only then would we receive the friendly wave that allowed us to pass the guards. It was this experience that got me thinking about light and its significance. The vehicle had two kinds of light: one that made the road visible and one that made us visible. Both were essential in Liberia.

It was easy to see the need for light in Liberia. Generators lit up the homes of the wealthy, while the masses were left in the dark with nothing but a candle. And it was equally clear there was a need for spiritual light. Just like the vehicle’s two types of light, there are also two types of spiritual light. One acts as a headlight, revealing the road ahead, and the other acts as a dome light, illuminating the darkness within.

In the beginning, the world’s default state was darkness. Things changed when God spoke light into being. In the physical realm, the purpose of light is to reveal. It exposes the objects around us, including ourselves. The Bible mentions light over 250 times. Often, it describes something physical, like the sun, the moon, or a lampstand. But more frequently, it refers to light in a spiritual sense and its purpose is still to reveal.

In Psalm 119:105, God’s word is like the headlight, guiding the way ahead of us: 

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path."

And in Psalm 90:8, God’s presence is like the dome light, revealing our darkness within:

"You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence."

Just like the Land Rover’s two lights, both are essential for us to flourish in our faith.