Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Today’s text

Matthew 5:14-16

'You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people's sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.

Reflection

I am struck by a phrase, “Why not me?” It reflects a kind of Jesus-consciousness even when the person is not at all religious or doesn’t think much about Jesus.

I heard it again recently from television as a young man was being interviewed about a charity he founded before he had reached his teens. The organization works to free children in Asia from abusive child-labor practices.

The interviewer asked, “Why you?”

Looking straight into the camera with complete conviction, he answered, “Why not me?”

I have heard that reply before from people who have done something significant, even something amazing that saves lives or eases the pains and needs of the world.

And each time I cannot get it out of my mind. Why not me?

Most often, the answer is because we … make that I … lack the consciousness that Jesus offers.

You are light for the world. That means ‘I am light for the world.” Light is in me.  Light is my deepest identity, and it is ready to shine out and glow in the darkness of a world that needs a little more light.

There is no maybe here, no suggestion that if I pray harder or put more effort into it I will become light.

Jesus turns us back to ourselves as if to say, “Wake up! Don’t you see who you are? You are light, now, already. The light of my life is in you. It is already there, so let it shine.”

This is Jesus-consciousness, the awareness that the light of God is in us, whether we acknowledge it or not, whether we are aware of it or not.

Jesus-consciousness is about becoming aware of the light within ourselves that can shine in our corner of the world to awaken joy and gratitude to God in those around us.

We think far too little of ourselves because we do not know who we are. We are not convinced of our identity. We … you … are light.

Never again look at the struggles of the world, the pain of others that moves you and ask, “Why me?”

People of the light ask a different question.

Pr. David L. Miller