Matthews 5:16; Ephesians 5:8-10

Light Definition from Dictionary

1. The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible (noun). 
2. A source of illumination, especially an electric lamp (noun)
3. Make (something) start lighting, burning; ignite (verb).

In a way, Children of God fit in all these definitions from the spiritual point of view.

Attributes of Light

Light as a noun and verb has unmistakable characteristics or attributes. Light has many attributes, here are some of them:

1. Light has conditions for ignition and keeping alight 
   • Connect to the source of energy
   • Keep connected 
   • Can be blown off or switched off
   • Can be regulated
   • Once on and properly supplied it lights in all environments - in darkness, among other lights
2. Different types - e.g ultra violet light, infra-red, etc
3. Different strengths and different effects 
4. Visible 
5. Has different effects and does different things 
   • Exposure - make things seen or visible 
   • Heat generation - warms, burns things 
   • Used in technologies- science (optics) - equipment made based on understanding light microscopes, telescopes, lasers, fibre optics
   • Detoxification (known to kill some microorganisms)
   • Too much, wrongly lit becomes dangerous/harmful 
6. Measurable - 
   • Physically as form of energy using energy units (joules, calories, watts) or in quantum units (quanta, einsteins)
   • Subjectively, based on the brightness seen by the human eye (units include candles, lumens, footcandles and lux).

Practically Lighting

How do we ensure we practically light the city using knowledge of the attributes of light?

We can use the spiritual parallels to all the characteristics and attributes above. They all apply, just one is selected to illustrate the point.

Conditions for ignition and keeping alight.

1. Know there are guiding principles from the word of God.
   Connect to the source, become born again (John 1:12)
    
2. Keep connected to the power of God and be led by the Spirit. (Romans 8:14) 
3. Know where you are lighting and requirements
   • In Darkness walk as children of light. Be distinct (Ephesians 5:8-10), 
     • Let love be the baseline, shine life giving light
     • See people, not demons or any other derogatory identities (remember you didn't earn the light)
     • Know it's a warfare, put on the whole armour (Ephesians 6:10-18). We can't afford to be negligent or carnal.
   • Shining among other lights (Army of light)
     • Work with others. We are different members in one body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). Follow the rules – dim, give space, support, give, take, etc
     • We are not competing but complementing one another.
     • Unity, Care, Love
4. Constantly reflect (check) and recharge. Do not go by yesterday's victories. 1 Cor 10:12
   • Who do you say that I am?  Matthew 16:13-16, Mark 8:27-29, and Luke 9:18-20. What do people say? It matters if we are to reach out to them with the gospel or minister with others. It is not just you and God
   • What's the abundance of our hearts? 
   • Is the fruit of the Spirit evident? Galatians 5:22. Is the fruit palatable?
   • How good do we speak and listen to God and to people?
   • How good do we treat people and God? 
   • For whose purpose and glory are we lighting
5. When reflecting and recharging refer to the terms of reference and deliverables
   • We need to keep our reference point - Jesus, His Word. What does it say, how do we measure up? Hebrews 12:2a
   • We need to have a strategy that we monitor and course correct.
   • Know the indicators and deliverables of practically lighting. They include:
     • People see the light, people glorify God. 
     • The fruit of the Spirit is unmistakable
     • We do not need to be pushed.- the will of God, Spirit leading is priority
   • Act on results of the reflection – identify what to stop, start, and continue.

Take home message

Let us review all the parallels of our spiritual characteristics or attributes of our light and check the practical our status. How practical are we? How are we shining? If we are doing well, Praise the Lord! But remember that if we are standing, we need to be careful lest we fall. If not doing well, let us remember that God is good. He is not anywhere close to human philosophy. He does not name and shame when we make mistakes, rebel or are negligent. He is merciful and available to take us through step by step in lighting the city. Let us do our part with Him.