City Lights

I

 will never forget flying back to Fort Worth in January of 1998.  I had been home for my first Christmas since coming to seminary.  My vacation lasted almost five weeks and the flight back gave me time to reflect on my family and the wonderful time we had spent together.  It's funny, but it seems the farther you are away from family and friends, the more time you find to spend with them.  When I lived in North Carolina, I saw my parents every week but only for a few minutes each time.  But now, during my visits home, we spend days or even weeks together and I so enjoy it.

           

In January of 1998, I boarded an airplane to return to Fort Worth.  I made the reservations for late in the afternoon, wanting to spend as much time at home as possible.  My dad took me to the airport and it was already dusk when the plane took off from Charlotte.  Not long after takeoff, the plane climbed through a large weather system bearing down on the southeastern United States.  Above the clouds, the moon was shining, the stars were out, and the air was calm.  The clouds stretched out like a milky, white carpet below the plane and gave the illusion that we were only several hundred feet above the ground instead of several thousand.

For the majority of the flight, there was no sign of civilization on the ground below us.  All I could see was the clouds below and the moon overhead.  About 90 minutes into the flight, the captain announced we would be approaching the Dallas/Fort Worth area in the next 30 minutes.  The plane began its long descent and not long afterwards, the clouds began to take on an eerie glow.  They changed colors from white to an amber color.  There were several areas of intense glow and others where just a tint of amber colored the clouds.  The captain announced we were over the Metroplex and would be penetrating the clouds in the next few moments. 

When we punched through the clouds, there was nothing but light below us.  It was my first glimpse of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex from the air at night and the sight was spectacular.  Everywhere were indications of movement, from the other planes in the air, to the cars on main highways and small roads below.  No one could doubt the city was below us and people strained and craned their necks for a look at the beautiful sight below.  Just a few minutes before, it had been completely dark; now everything was bathed in warm, glowing light.

This was the idea Jesus conveyed to his disciples.  He taught them that their lives indicated what they believed; that the condition of their hearts would be reflected in their faces and in their daily living.  In Matthew 5:14, the New Living Translation of the Bible records his words, "You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see."  There are three great truths in Jesus' statement: 1) we are light, 2) the world is dark, and 3) everyone sees us.  The idea of light is a very important one in scripture.  The very first thing God created was light and he separated it from the darkness (Genesis 1:3-4).  Jesus also referred to himself as "the light of the world" (John 8:12), promising that those who followed him would have the light of life.

Truths 2 and 3 go hand in hand.  The world is in darkness.  A quick look at the daily newspaper or newscast demonstrates the thick darkness that shrouds our world.  These are not the claims of a doomsayer but a spiritual fact.  The world is without Christ and is therefore in darkness, looking for the light of truth.  We are that light, not because of who we are but because we have accepted Jesus Christ as savior and lord.  God gives us the important task of shining forth, of dispelling the darkness, and of showing others the way to Christ.  Notice that Jesus said that we shine in order "for all to see."  We have a great responsibility to show others the way to Christ, to be the beacons of hope in a dark world. 

Even before we penetrated the clouds, there was evidence of the vast city below us.  The clouds could not shut out the millions of watts of power flowing through the wires and lights in the city beneath the plane.  Could this be said about us today?  Are we allowing the power of God's love, the blinding truth of his word, the glowing warmth of his grace to flow through our lives?  Is their evidence of Christ in our lives even when there is darkness all around us?  Does our light shine forth in such a way that the evidence of Christ's presence can be seen even in the thick, black storm clouds of life?  When it is darkest, we should shine the brightest!  Shine on!!