Lighting the World or Casting a Shadow?

Luke 11:33-36

A candle is meant as a source of light. Where it is set makes a great deal of difference how much benefit the light gives. Placed down on the floor, the light may provide very limited benefit, but raised high, it can light a lot of things.

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.” (Luke 11:33)

Placing a candle in a place where it’s light can’t be seen defeats the purpose of lighting it in the first place. Worse, enclosing the candle does not allow the heat to escape, causing the candle to melt and creating a fire hazard. What should have increased one’s safety and comfort becomes a danger instead. It would be a foolish decision to do so.

In Matthew 5:14, we see that Jesus introduced this statement by pointing out that we are the light of the world. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” The candle will give off light if it is lit. Attempts to hide it will destroy the candle and potentially cause a fire. We cannot hide the light of Christ in us very long without destroying ourselves and possibly those around us as well. Instead, Jesus said we are to let our belief be obvious to everyone, in Matthew 5:16. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 warns, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

During the late 60’s and early 70’s, it became popular to not put a central light fixture in the ceiling, but depending on lamps around the room. I owned a trailer built during that period, and quickly learned how inconvenient the arrangement was. The resulting shadows cast by the various lamps made seeing things across the room difficult because it is difficult to look from a well lighted area and see things in the shadows as ones eyes are not adjusted for the lower level of light in those areas. Reading required special positioning of the lamps so the book was not in shadow. A single light overhead would have eliminated many of those shadowed areas.

Light enters through the eye, enabling us to see. If the eyes focus together, we see clearly. People who’s eyes don’t focus together, were often referred to as having a n evil eye. They could not see clearly unless they ignored the input from one eye. They became like the person in the room with no central lighting, able to see only some things clearly. It becomes difficult to function normally because one cannot trust his vision. It might actually be easier to be blind so that you were not distracted with out of place images.

“The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” (Luke 11-34-35)

In the passage in Matthew 6:19-34, which gives more detail about this teaching, it is clear that what Jesus is referring to is the importance of being focused on a single goal. If we are trying to get rich at the same time as we try to serve God, for example, we will become confused and be forced to choose which one we want. To try to do both will only end in frustration on both counts. It is not possible to serve God and anything else. Even efforts to serve our family, or the church can hamper our service for God.

“If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.” (Luke 11:36)

When we are able to focus totally on one goal, the confusion and conflict disappears. Our way is clear, and we can confidently move toward goal, whether the goal is of the world or of God. Success is dependent on seeing our goal clearly.

Those who focus on the other goals, such as money get farther from God and as Paul warned Timothy in I Timothy 6:9-10, they place themselves in danger. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” They conceal the light, and destroy the candle.

Those who focus on the Lord, on the other hand, draw close to him and clearly see where he wants them to go. They no longer have to ask “What would Jesus do?”, because they become like him. II Corinthians 3:18 promises, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Now we become lights like him, as his light shines through us.