now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. [acts 22:9]
do your friends see the light of Christ in you?
this verse is so amazing when singled out as it is today. the people who were with paul/saul, who were sent with him to drag off men and women following the Way, to throw them into prison and advocate for their execution. these men were by no means seeking to know Jesus, but along with paul, they saw his light.
paul was introduced to Jesus on that road. paul heard his voice, understood his words, bowed to his power, was overcome by his light. this is a work of the Holy Spirit, giving paul eyes to see (before they were blinded!) and ears to hear the good news of the risen and ruling King Jesus. but paul’s companions were confused. they saw the light, as he states here in this account; they even heard the voice, as luke writes in acts 9. but paul says here that they did not understand the voice of Jesus.
in your life, you have this same light. the light of Jesus living inside of you, where the Holy Spirit dwells and moves, flowing from you like streams of living water. the world around you should see this light and should hear the voice of truth that speaks through you to the world.
you are the light of the world. a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. in the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. [matt 5:14-16]
Jesus himself says that this light should be seen by those around you. this includes your family, your friends (believers and unbelievers alike), your coworkers, your classmates, your teammates, the cashier at the grocery store. anywhere and everywhere you are sent, you take this light into the world. and the goal is always the same. that the world would see it and give glory to the Father! in what ways are you shining this light in the world?
do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, [philippians 2:15-16]
our light shines because of the words we speak, proclaiming the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light [1 peter 2:9], but as we see in philippians, our light shines in the world because we are different from the world, just as light is different from the darkness. when you are in the dark, you cannot help but see light. your eyes are drawn to it. your eyes were made to see light. when we are different from the world, not complaining or arguing, but showing love and forgiveness, being seen as blameless and innocent, showering the world around us with the blessings of a good God, they cannot help but notice. their eyes are drawn to it. their eyes were made to see light.
in what ways are you walking in the light among a crooked and twisted generation? in what ways do you appear the same as everyone else? does the world see your light?
we are not responsible for others to understand the voice of the One who speaks to us and in us and through us. the Lord himself is sovereign over that. but we are called to show his light. where will you be sent today to show it?
in him was life, and the life was the light of men. the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. [john 1:4-5]
~arwen eastma