Don’t Make Light of the Confusing Meanings of ‘Light’

While visitors from other countries were spending time in the United States for FIFA World Cup soccer and raving about many aspects of American life, I wonder what they thought about our language. We might not realize it, but American English can be difficult to learn and comprehend. 

Take a simple example: the word “light.” If you want to pin it down to just one meaning, good luck. We have light beer and light butter, meaning fewer calories than the regular varieties. We might opt for a light snack or a light meal – something to appease hunger pangs but not enough to stuff our stomachs.

 

Some of us like to engage in light humor, which probably won’t provoke a belly laugh but might prompt at least a smile and a chuckle. I’ve long been a fan of light classical music – it’s not as lengthy and complex, and more geared for easy listening.

 

We’re careful not to make light of some topics, meaning they should be treated with proper respect and seriousness. Then we have light moments, when we’re not as serious. At times we’re asked to perform light duty, meaning tasks that won’t require a lot of time and energy. There are even more ways for “lighting” up our vocabulary, but can you see why a foreigner could get confused by our everyday jargon?

 

There’s also the most common and important use for the word light: That which refers to things like celestial orbs, light bulbs, flashlights and chandeliers. Even then, the light we find in nature has at least three intrinsic properties: Luminiferous, which means to illuminate, produce, yield or transmit light; actinic, which causes chemical changes, like photosynthesis; and calorific, which involves the production of heat or energy.

 

Light also carries great spiritual significance. It plays a starring role at the start of the Creation account. After noting, “the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,” Genesis 1:3-5 tells us light was the first item on God’s to-do list. “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.”

 

What would be the point of everything else He planned to do without light by which to see it? The passage explains God commanded, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth” (Genesis 1:14-15). This is speaking, of course, about the sun, moon and stars.

 

As impressive as that was, biblical teaching about God and light was just beginning. The gospel of John opens by revisiting the Creation, declaring the preincarnate Christ was very much involved in it:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:1-4)

 

Jesus didn’t shy away from being compared to light. Speaking to a crowd in the temple courts that included teachers of the Jewish law and Pharisees, He underscored the concept: “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

 

Later Jesus used a man who had been born blind as an object lesson while preparing to heal the person of his blindness. He told His disciples, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). He came to bring light, physically and spiritually.

 

Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar room, perhaps in a hotel or the home of a friend, and tried to negotiate your way to the bathroom in the dark? An obvious solution is to turn on a light. Instantly the darkness is dispelled, and you can see the way clearly. In a far more profound way, sin and rebellion against God have plunged the world into spiritual darkness. Jesus, in declaring He is “the light of the world,” is the only remedy for this universal problem.

 

He knew His physical presence on earth was temporary. Forty days after His resurrection from the dead, Jesus ascended to heaven. In his stead, He left what we might call His “light brigade.” Speaking to a huge crowd during His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus announced to His followers, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

We aren’t The Light, but through our lives – our actions, words, the way we conduct our lives – we can be used by God to bring His light into our world filled with the darkness of unbelief, evil and hopelessness. As the apostle Paul wrote to Christ followers in ancient Corinth, a city notorious for its pagan practices: 

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

 

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He didn’t abandon us; He gave the Holy Spirit, who abides in every believer. Only in that way could “the Light of the World” pass along the responsibility for us to represent Him as “the light of the world.” We can’t create the Light – but like moons, we can reflect it!

What’s It Mean to Be ‘Salt and Light’?

We're commanded to be the 'light of the world.'

Salt. So versatile it’s even used in idioms to describe people: “He’s the salt of the earth” – the sort of person who’s good, honest, reasonable, and not pretentious. Or, “She’s worth her salt,” indicating being of considerable value. 

We're also to be the 
'salt of the earth.'

Of course, we think of salt mostly in terms of a seasoning. Are you someone who puts salt on almost everything you eat, from eggs and French fries to steak and watermelon? For much of my life I’ve been ‘well-seasoned,’ often salting food before tasting it. For accomplished cooks and chefs, this seems like gastronomical blasphemy. Over the years I’ve tried to do better.

Salt is perhaps the most controversial of seasonings. Some medical experts claim too much salt is bad for you, while other studies indicate for most people it’s not much of a problem. Who’s right? Most of us make our own decisions about this, taking the doctor’s advice with the proverbial ‘grain of salt.’

 

During His famed “sermon on the mount,” Jesus Christ alluded to the importance of salt. He used it as a metaphor, along with another substance we know well – light – to explain how His followers should function where they live and work. He said:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let you light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

 

In summary, we’re to be salt and light to the world around us, wherever we are. Why did Jesus choose these two as metaphors?

 

We know salt can add savor to food. Not enough salt and food might taste bland; too much salt and it can overwhelm the natural taste of the food we’re eating. To put that into a spiritual perspective, as ‘salt’ to the folks we encounter over the course of the day, our lives and our words should be such that the message of the Gospel is as appealing as possible – and not overwhelming.

 

The apostle Paul wrote about this to believers in ancient Colossae, admonishing, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6). To put it another way, we’re to interact with others in ‘good taste’ when talking with them about Christ.

 

But salt works in other ways besides affecting the flavor of food. In the days before refrigeration and freezers, salt was used as a preservative to keep meat from spoiling. A spiritual parallel might be to ‘preserve’ the Gospel message and remain true to our commitment to Christ in the midst of an increasingly dark world.

 

A third use of salt is to melt ice. We discover this during the winter, when snow and ice cover sidewalks, driveways and roads. Applying salt can help in making them passable again. Similarly, as we talk with others about Jesus – speaking with grace and seasoning what we say with ‘salt,’ as Paul advised – hearts once cold toward Him might ‘thaw out’ and become responsive to the truths of the Scriptures.

 

There’s one more function of salt we need to consider. Another familiar idiom talks of ‘pouring salt into wounds.’ Have you ever had a cut and got some salt into it? It irritates, right? In a similar way, while we should make every effort not to offend others as we talk with them about Jesus, we know the Gospel message itself can be offensive. The apostle Peter called it, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8). We’re to speak in love, but without compromising what God says in His Word.

 

What about light? We know the impact light can have in a dark room; even a small candle makes a big difference. Scientists call that the “luminiferous” property – producing or transmitting light. Again, as we speak about the saving, transforming powers of Christ, we hope to bring His light to people living in spiritual darkness.

 

Like salt, however, light has other properties as well. There’s its “actinic” capacity, bringing about photochemical reactions. We’ve all seen this in photography, and we observe it in photosynthesis, the process that creates green in plants during spring and summer. The light of Christ also can stimulate spiritual growth as scriptural truths sink into receptive hearts.

 

A third major property of light is what’s called ‘calorific’ – generating heat. Think about when you’re sitting outside on an overcast day, perhaps watching a child’s ballgame; suddenly the sun peeks through the clouds and the sunlight immediately starts raising the temperature.

 

This effect often happens spiritually as well. Two of Jesus’ closest followers referred to it after they had encountered Him while walking to the village of Emmaus after His resurrection: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” After He had left them, the disciples looked at each other and asked, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:27-32).

 

What I find most encouraging about Jesus’ salt and light metaphors is that the pressure’s not on us. It’s not up to us to produce the salt – or the light. That’s God’s job. Our responsibility is to use what the Lord has given us and then trust Him for the outcome.

 

Years ago, Rebecca Manley Pippert wrote a book about relational evangelism called Out of the Saltshaker and into the World. We might regard the sanctuaries where we congregate every Sunday as ‘saltshakers.’ God wants us to take the salt we receive there into our world – workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, communities, wherever we go. We commissioned to be ‘worth our salt.’

Light Is Always Brighter the Darker It Gets

A friend of mine likes to hike the hills near his home in the wee hours of the morning. Obviously in the darkness it’s hard to see and be seen, so he wears a headlamp to light the way and alert people nearby of his presence. When he encounters others on the hill, they are usually doing the same.

 

He observed that in daylight, his little lamp is hardly noticeable, but at night or before sunrise, it shines almost like a beacon. Reminds me of the longtime favorite children’s song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine….”

 

It’s interesting that “light” is one of the metaphors Jesus used to describe His disciples. After stating that they are “the salt of the earth,” He added, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:13-15).

 

But Jesus’ most significant point came in the verse that follows this description: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Why is this important? Because one of the things our society – and the world – need these days is light. Not the kind of light we get from the rising sun or a switched-on lamp, but light that serves to dispel the darkness that seems to be closing in around us.

 

For more than two years, every aspect of our lives has been darkened by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. We can’t turn on the news or read a newspaper without being bombarded by reports about acts of violence in its many forms. I’ve lived a long time and can’t remember a time when the levels of hatred and animosity between segments of society were higher.

 

But in the midst of all the bad news that seems to be getting worse, there’s hope. Like my friend’s small headlamp that glows brightly in the blackness as he hikes, we as Christ followers have the great privilege and opportunity to shine the light of His truth in our darkening world. And it may be that the Lord is allowing this darkness to deepen so that His light can shine more brightly.

 

As His earthly ministry was drawing to a close, Jesus told His followers, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light” (John 12:35-36).

 

Our challenge is to walk as closely to the Lord as we can and strive to live in such a way that we don’t dim the light of Christ that shines through us. As Jesus exhorted those following Him, “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you” (Luke 11:35-36).

 

The apostle Paul expressed it this way: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). If we’ve been born again into the family of God, He not only desires for His light to shine within us but also to radiate through us into the world here we live and work every day.

 

It’s easy to lose heart as we observe the evil lurking all around us, wondering where God is in the midst of everything that’s going on. But the people of Israel faced similar problems, largely brought on by their determination to disobey what the Lord had taught them and disregard all He had done for them. But the prophet Isaiah offered assurance that despite the depths of His people’s sin, God’s love, grace and mercy would prevail in the last days. 

 

He said, “The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted” (Isaiah 30:26).

 

The prophet later also conveyed this promise: “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory” (Isaiah 60:18-19). 

In His Word, God promises that brighter days are ahead. In the meantime, it’s our responsibility to serve Him as “the light of the world,” shining in such a way that people can see Him through our actions as well as our words. 

We Have Seen the Light – But It’s Leaving Us

By now you’re probably aware of the bad news: All of us in the Northern Hemisphere, after enjoying longer days with more daylight, are entering the downside of that annual curve. Our longest “day,” in terms of sunlight, passed several days ago, propelling us toward fall and the dark, dismal days of winter.

This march toward less light saddens me. I’m not an outdoorsy kind of guy, but I enjoy light, whether it’s in nature or indoors. Whenever I enter a living room that’s relatively dark because the windows don’t capture much light, my mood moves downward a notch or two. 

 

On the other hand, walking into a brightly lit area – a supermarket, a mall with sunlight streaming in from overhead, or a well-illuminated kitchen – perks up my mood considerably. Walking along a bright, sun-drenched beach, as I did recently, is the ultimate.

 

To crave the light is as it should be; that’s how it’s been from the beginning of days. God’s first recorded words are, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). What an explosion of illumination that must have been! And that has been His will ever since. In fact, Jesus boldly declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

 

In science classes, I learned there are three primary properties of light: luminiferous (illuminating things); actinic (bringing about chemical reactions, such as photosynthesis); and calorific (creating heat). But in a broader sense, the greatest thing light does is bring life. 

 

Try to grow a plant in perpetual dark. Good luck with that. One common – and simple – cure for newborn babies with jaundice is to expose them to light. When it’s dark, most of us feel tired and go to bed; in the morning, once the sun has risen, we spring out of bed (or crawl) and prepare for a new day of life.

 

Darkness is also often associated with bad things. In the dark, many people behave in ways they would never consider doing in the light. When my wife and I watch a Hallmark mystery movie, or an episode of a show like “NCIS,” the opening scenes typically take place in the dark. Uh-oh! That signals nefarious individuals lurking in the shadows, poised to perform heinous deeds.

 

These are among the reasons God in His Word speaks so frequently and eloquently about light. As 1 John 1:5-7 tells us, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

 

That’s pretty convicting. Are we walking in the light, in close fellowship with God? Or do we feel a tug from darkness, pulling us away from thoughts and actions that honor and glorify Him?

 

Another thing about light and darkness: They can’t tolerate each other. They can’t co-exist. Walk into a darkened room and turn on a light, and darkness flees – perhaps hiding behind a chair where light doesn’t penetrate. Even there, if you shine a flashlight, the darkness disappears.

 

This offers one explanation for the increasing enmity Christianity is facing in our nation. This antagonism is well-established in other parts of the world. Early in the gospel of John we read about Jesus, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:4-5).

 

The darkness “has not understood it.” Wow! Have you ever experienced frustration in trying to explain truth from the Bible to someone who doesn’t believe it, even rejects it? When living in darkness, it’s hard to comprehend light.

 

This, ultimately, is why Jesus took on human form and entered this world. He came to pay the penalty for our sins – for anyone who will turn to Him for forgiveness and receive the gift of eternal life. He also came to bring light to a world enshrouded in darkness. Jesus told His disciples, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5).

 

This is interesting, because we know that after His resurrection and spending 40 more days with His followers, Jesus ascended back to heaven. He’s no longer a part of the world in a physical sense, although He remains here through His Spirit. So, who’s supposed to supply the light? The Scriptures answer that question very clearly. We are:

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

Every day, it seems darkness is seeking to take a stronger foothold in our world. Perhaps the daily decline of sunlight until late December is symbolic of that. That doesn’t mean the light isn’t necessary. We should still make every effort to expel the darkness by shining the light – the light of Christ – into a world that says it wants nothing to do with Him.

 

One of the best ways for revealing the light of Jesus is by demonstrating the love of Jesus. As yet another passage from 1 John states: 

“…I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble” (1 John 2:8-10).

 

In a time of such discord, hatred and rancor between factions of people, the light of Jesus Christ is needed more than ever.

Never Make Light of the Importance of Being Light

On a dark evening, even a little light makes a big difference.

In my last post, I wrote about the indispensable, universal importance of salt for everyday life. We should consider light as well, very different from salt but also vital to life in all its forms – and similarly endowed with unique properties.

Among these are calorific (producing heat), actinic (serving as a catalyst for chemical reactions), and luminiferous (transmitting and yielding light). Whenever we walk around on a very cloudy, wintry day, or attempt to find our way around an unfamiliar room enshrouded in darkness, we realize the folly of underestimating the necessity of light.

We even talk about “seeing the light,” being able to comprehend or appreciate a truth, principle or insight previously hidden from our understanding. We talk admiringly about certain people with the capability of “lighting up a room” by their presence and personality. When people get attention, we say they’re in the spotlight, and if they gain fame, they’re in the “limelight.” (Does anyone ever get into the lemon-light? Probably wouldn’t be a good thing.)

From the start, God declared
light to be good.

Studying the Bible, light is clearly a central theme. In recounting God’s creation, it records His first spoken words: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:3-4).

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ never made light of light. Immediately after telling His followers, “You are the salt of the earth…,” He added, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). In addition to functioning much like salt in their spheres of influence, Jesus’ disciples were admonished to serve as light to dispel the darkness.

Jesus didn’t stop at informing His hearers they were, “the light of the world.” He described Himself in a similar way: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). In telling His hearers that they, too, were to serve as the light of the world, Jesus was directing them to carry His light to dispel the darkness in the world around them.

Twice the Scriptures give us this analogy: Daniel 12:3 declares, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” And Philippians 2:15 warns against needless complaining or arguing, “so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”

Nowhere, however, does God command us to generate light on our own; our calling is to reflect the light of Christ. In effect, we’re to be more like the moon, which possesses no light of its own, but reflects the brilliant rays of the sun, illuminating otherwise dark nights.

One would think that light is always desirable, unless you’re wanting a good night’s sleep, in which case a darkened room is often helpful. But as the Bible points out, there are those whose preference is to remain in the dark. Isaiah 5:20 declares, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

Why anyone would choose darkness over light confounds most of us, but we see the reality of this every day. All we need to do is watch the news, skim through much of today’s TV programming, or observe what’s happening in our communities. Light may be hard for some, especially if they’ve been in the dark too long – its glare can be almost blinding. As a consequence, darkness seems the environment of choice for many.

Despite this, our hope remains strong. Jesus Christ is the ultimate solution, the “spotlight” to expose the gathering evil that seems to press upon us. As the gospel of John opens, it informs us, “In him was life, and that life was the Light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5). Let’s pray God will use us to help in making the Light more comprehensible.