33 “No one lights a lamp and hides it. No one puts it under a bowl. Instead, they put a lamp on its stand. Then those who come in can see the light. 34 Your eye is like a lamp for your body. Suppose your eyes are healthy. Then your whole body also is full of light. But suppose your eyes can’t see well. Then your body also is full of darkness. 35 So make sure that the light inside you is not darkness. 36 Suppose your whole body is full of light. And suppose no part of it is dark. Then your body will be full of light. It will be just as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
Read Luke 11:33-36 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
If you have ever walked into in a dark room, or through a pitch-black hallway, you appreciate the times you had light a little more than before.
This is even truer if you have children who have used the room or hallway to play in, and I’m sure your feet and toes agree too.
When my children were young, and not as diligent at picking up their toys before going to bed, I have similarly begun to appreciate any and all bits of light as I walk around early in the morning while getting ready for the day. There may have been a time that it was safe to walk through the room in darkness to reach the light switch, but as those who have young children know, where children’s toys are present or played with, it is wise to be aware of where you are stepping.
Having grown to appreciate light even more, I have a new perspective on the theme running through this entry’s passage – especially the first verse: “No one lights a lamp and hides it. No one puts it under a bowl. Instead, they put a lamp on its stand. Then those who come in can see the light.” (Luke 11:33)
Having light, even just a little light or a small flashlight, is better than having no light at all – especially when more than one person is present.
Looking deeper at this passage, light is a metaphor.
For a long time, I believed this passage to be primarily about witnessing (i.e. sharing your “light”), but I think the metaphor goes deeper. While it can easily start with our testimony about what God has done for us, it quickly shifts to God Himself, and sharing about Him.
The gospel of John opens with a series of metaphors comparing Jesus as being a light coming into the world. If we place that idea alongside this one, Jesus might be wrapping a truth about His life mission into a broader truth about how we share God with others.
If we shifted the wording of this verse to focus on Jesus, we might come up with something that sounds like: “God didn’t send Jesus into the world to hide Him. That would be counter-productive. Instead, God lifted Jesus up, and let His life shine as an example for the universe.”
Tucked into this verse is a picture of God. In this verse, we see one reason why He sent Jesus. After seeing God and Jesus, we see in this verse a call on our own life to be lights pointing people to the great light.
Light is a metaphor. It represents God’s character, Jesus’ ministry, and our mission to point people back to Him.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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