Light, Fear, Love

  The image of light runs throughout the Scriptures - both Old and New Testaments.  So let's stay with it for a little bit.  Our text is Matthew 5:14-16.  If we are the light of the world, and Jesus said we are, why do we hide our light?

  One reason is we fear being rejected.  We are afraid that we will say something to someone about Jesus, or even Christianity in general, and they will reject what we say and thereby reject us.  Does this happen?  Of course it does.  As Christians we come from a long line of people who have been rejected.  The Old Testament prophets were rejected in their day even though they were Jews speaking to Jews.  Moving to the New Testament, John the Baptist was rejected.  Jesus was rejected.  Peter and the other disciples were rejected. 


  Rejection did not stop them from letting their light shine, from doing what God told them to do, and saying what God told them to say.  Which takes us back to verse 11 of Matthew 5:  "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me."  To this we can add these verses from 1 John 4: "God is love. . . .  There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear."

So being rejected sometimes should not be unexpected for us.  Knowing that we will be rejected sometimes helps to take the fear out of it.  It will come in the normal course of events.  But we won't be rejected every time, and people really need to hear the message of Jesus from us.  Let's not hide our light.  


  For Reflection:  What is greater in me - the love of God or the fear of rejection?

  Let us pray. God, you are perfect love.  I give you my fear of rejection.  I trust that even when I am rejected you will take care of me.  Help me to let my light shine today.

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