Daily Devotion 

Have you ever gone out at night when there was a full moon and you could see almost as well as if it were day?

Have you ever seen the moon when it was so bright it was almost difficult to look at?

I’ve seen some pretty bright moons over my years and have always been fascinated by the night sky, but I learned something a few years ago that is so amazing to me.

The moon isn’t very reflective.

It has a reflectiveness rating (Albedo) of only 0.12, meaning it only reflects about 12% of the light shown on it. It is actually one of the least reflective bodies in our solar system. I heard one scientist (I can’t remember his name right now) say it’s about as reflective as an old, dirty tire.

Why does the moon appear so bright in the sky?

• The sun is REALLY bright. It isn’t because the moon is so great at reflecting the sun’s light, but rather because the sun is so bright.
• The moon is close to the earth. Other bodies in our solar system are more reflective, but they are dimmer to us because they are so far away.

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says,

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Isn’t Jesus the Light of the World?

When you first hear this, you may wonder, “Wait. I thought Jesus was the light of the world.” Yes, He is. As John 1 describes, Jesus is the light that came into the darkness. However, in the Sermon on the Mount here in Matthew 5, Jesus is telling us that we are the light of the world. Both are true.

You Are the Light of the World…but How?

• Jesus shines brightly. Much like the moon, we don’t generate our light in and of ourselves. Rather, we reflect the light of Christ. Also, much like the moon, the truth is that we don’t tend to reflect the light of Jesus very well. We sin. We mistreat people. We often live like the dark world. Thankfully, the light of Christ is bright enough to shine through that. We love others and speak about Jesus and that shines brightly because it’s Jesus’ light.
• We are close to people. Jesus has called us to shine the light of Christ before others. Like the moon is near the earth, we need to be near those who need the light.

So let your light shine. Go out into the world and be different. Love like Jesus and tell others about Him so that others may see the light of Jesus and glorify the Father.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

I confess that I do not reflect the light of Christ very well. I often see more darkness in my life than I’d like to admit. Please forgive me, transform me, and help me to shine the light of Jesus to everyone around me.

Amen.

Who’s life can you illuminate today with the light of Jesus?