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

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” –John 9:5

What is the darkest place you’ve ever been? The depths of a cave? A tunnel or cellar or a mine-shaft? A citywide blackout or a cloudy night out in the wilderness?

Our local electrical transformer blew one evening, and suddenly my side of town was dark and powerless. No traffic lights, no streetlights, no garage or porch lights. Even the tiny lights on my stove and power strips were dark! All the light I took for granted was gone.

I’ve also visited one or two of the world’s “dark skies” areas—places where light pollution is minimal to non-existent. Yes, it’s dark but that is a misnomer. For in the absence of man-made light, the God-made light of the stars and moon shine even brighter.

When you’re in the dark, even the tiniest point of light makes all the difference. It tells you that the morning or rescue will come, that power will be restored, that darkness will end.

Light gives hope.

At Christmas, God gave us the gift of light and hope through Jesus. He came as the light, shining in the darkness. His light brings hope for you and me and the nations—so we can know His salvation, love, presence, and power.

Once we have embraced His light, Jesus also gives us a job to do: to be light to the world now—bringing hope in the darkness and reflecting Him, shining like stars in the night sky (Matthew 5:14-16).

Galo reflects the light of Jesus in a dark, crime-ridden neighborhood in his Ecuadorian city. He and the disciples he trains take the Gospel light to communities where violence and death are daily realities. His team seeks to rescue and give hope to young people pulled into drugs, prostitution, or trained as sicarios—hitmen—for crime lords. As they share the Gospel on the streets, they duck and dodge drive-by shootings. One day, he saw a boy shot and killed in a spray of bullets. A kid who only a few minutes earlier heard the Good News of Jesus for the first time.

And Galo is just one of many, giving the gift of light through Jesus, to those who walk in darkness, without hope or a future. So many of our Global Disciples stories reflect how God’s people are shining with the light of Jesus, offering hope to people where systems and spirits are under the control of darkness.

You can too. You are perfectly placed, even today, to reflect the light and hope of Jesus to people around you who still live in the dark. Jesus brings the gift of light—a gift we can give to others, to bring hope into our world.

Shine on!

“You are the light of the world. A town 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 others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:14-16