Thank you for inviting me back.
Open your Bibles to Matthew 5:14. What does it say?
The first sentence says "Ye are the light of the world." What does that mean? It certainly does not mean that we can run around all prancey-dancey acting as if we are somebody. As soon as we start doing that, we immediately fall into darkness. This is one way all us Bible-thumpers get a bad name. And rightly so.
If you start getting the big head over this, you have lost it. The "ye" (I like that Shakespearean King James English) refers to everyone, not just to some select group. These words, "ye are the light of the world," are attributed to Jesus who is talking to "the multitudes."
We are each and all the light of the world. Yep, even that bozo you have grown to love to hate.
We are all material (matter-real) manifestations of Light. I capitalize Light because, in the cosmic scheme of things, we live in a dim sub-luminary world which is lit only by the continuous grace and Light of our Source.
Our sun itself, that radiant orb of light and heat, is but one of billions of light spheres called into being by the Big Outbreathing which called all this into existence. Some of our physicists who evidently had an adolescent male state of mind called the out breathing a Big Bang, but we all know that banging and love-making are not the same. Wups, I see some of the deacons getting uncomfortable, so let's move on.
My point is that love is light, that love and light are the same. The light of awareness comes only through love. We have to love something to really see it. You know how that goes. You say, I don't see what he sees in her, or she in him. That's because you are not in a loving place with him or her. Love is not blind. Infatuation is, but love is not.
We see by the light of love. If we are not embodyings of love, we are not embodyings of light.
Joanna Macy has written some good books. One of them is World as Lover, World as Self. The title alone reminds me that before we can love others (see them in good light), we must love ourselves, let the light shine through our whole being. Then and only then are we the light of the world.
Thanks George
ReplyDeleteI can't help but hear Todd Rundgren singing:
ReplyDeleteLight of the world
Shine on me
Love is the answer
Does not one emerge from darkness into light when one is born? Aren't all babies and newborns pure light? The shade or blinds of the lamp are due to our early training as our brains develop. While we are trained to share, we are also trained to be selfish. Yes, we are all Light. We acknowledge this fact, then we shade our individual lamps and go about our way bumping into one another in the self imposed darkness.
ReplyDeleteWe can't get the big head when the Light is not our light, but God who chose to place it in us. And that act was done because of His love for us. It is a gift. We can't and don't earn it.
ReplyDeleteWe are to let that light shine before men (Matthew 5:16) to glorify God, certainly not ourselves.