Spring 1983
Bearers of Light
Wade Taylor
President of Pinecrest

Jesus tells us, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). It is a physical law in God that darkness is dispelled by light. A lamp brought into a well-lit room doesn’t accomplish much, but if brought into a dark place, it is amazing what a little light can do. When the Word of the Lord—the true light—comes forth, then darkness is dealt with: not by attacking the darkness, but by simply shining forth light.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Note the Lord’s words, “That they may see.” Real light is what people see, and any one of us can qualify as a lightbearer. We may say we are limited, or that we can’t speak, but “ministry” is not confined to preaching. Our ministry for the Lord is to be—to become His image and likeness—to shine forth His life through us. Our very life is our ministry: to shine creative light out into the darkness. Instead of judging the darkness, we must bring light into it. Light shines the brightest where it is the darkest. In a baseball field where there are brilliant floodlights, a lit candle serves no purpose. But if lit where it is pitch dark it can be seen for a great distance.

It is easy to put ourselves down and say we don’t feel spiritual, prepared or edified, but the Lord commanded the light to shine out of darkness. Second Corinthians 4:6-7 says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” When we may feel the darkest is when the little bit of light that we have is going to be the brightest; for in our weakness, He comes forth in power. He commands the light to shine out of even our darkness within us. Oh, the handiwork and miracle-working power of God! By His Word God brought forth light for this earth at the beginning of creation (Genesis, chapter one), and He is doing so now within us, His earthen vessels.

In Matthew 6:22, the Lord clearly tells us how to receive His light to dispel the darkness within us: “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” He stresses the importance of the “single eye,” which speaks of the eye of the dove, known for having a vision limited to that which is straight before it: Jesus set His face as a flint toward Jerusalem (Isaiah 50:7; Luke 9:51). We may note that the dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit, descended upon Jesus at the time of His baptism. The Holy Spirit, which dwells in us, has a profoundly singular vision; for His sole purpose is to reveal the Lord Jesus to us.

It is written that if our eye be single, our whole body will be filled with light. What a glorious promise! As our earthen vessel is increasingly filled with light, our life will “shine” brighter and brighter, that all may see and receive the light as they look upon us, for they will receive through their eyes the Light—the life of Christ Jesus, our Lord.