If Jesus took a group snapshot of Him and His followers and would post this on social media you could see some sort of a family resemblance.  Unfortunately, there were no cameras back then, though in the Bible we are running into a series of descriptive snapshots.  Those little nuggets can also bring out family resemblance – maybe more so than a photograph could do.

Take for instance Jesus’ descriptive selfie “I am the Light of the World” and compare this to Jesus’ descriptive snapshot of His followers in Matthew’s gospel: “You are the light of the world”. Family resemblance! No doubt about that. Jesus is the light, so are God’s children.

At the dawn of creation, God first created light (Genesis 1:2-5):

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Four little words were spoken: ‘Let there be light’, and life returned to a formless, empty, and dark planet as a result. This goes to show that even in the most dire of circumstances God can come through for us.  Never give up hope! God is closer to us than we might think.

A small flame can be seen from far away. It’s very common to hide in the dark, yet so much easier to be spotted in the light. Have you ever tried to conceal a flashlight in a dark room? Good luck with that!  Light cannot be hidden as Jesus preached to the crowds in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:15-16):

“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Lamps are installed under a ceiling, not under a table, to light up an entire room.  What purpose is there in spreading light under a table – to find dust on the floor? Asking us to go and make disciples of all nations, Jesus invites us to come out from under a table, or from wherever else we’re hiding, to spread His goodness wherever we go.

If God’s light is in your heart, don’t be surprised when God shows you around. His love is advertised through the way you live your life. His love shines through you because His Light does not and will not hide.

“Yeshua, Light of the World, whoever follows You, will not walk in the dark but will have the light of life. Light of the World by Bill & Evelyn Snyder