By Rev. Dr. Barry Settle, Contributing Writer
BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE IT
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
In January 2021 many of us waited with anticipation for the inauguration of the 46th President and the 49th Vice President of the United States with much anxiety, fear and excitement. Anxiety and fear because of the events of the insurrection on January 6th, as well as the last four years of political disfunction. However, there was excitement because we were ready to turn the page from 45 to 46, and because of the first female, African American Vice President in Vice President Kamala Harris.
As we watched that day, our hope was for better days ahead in a COVID-19 and racially tense world. Never did we expect our hope to be displayed in the bright light of Amanda Gorman. Before January 20th we did not know who her, but since that day, we will never forget her.
This beautiful, gifted, young African American sister took the podium and shined! Shined, for the whole world to see as she recited her poem, The Hills We Climb. She took us on a journey rhetorically and by the time she finished, she made us feel that in spite of all we have been through as a community, society and personally, there were better days ahead. She gave us hope!
In the closing of her poem, she said:
“The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
There is always light – if only we are brave enough to see it, if only we are brave enough to be it! This young lady came from nowhere, stepped into center stage, stole our hearts and filled us with hope because she was brave enough to stand and not be hidden, but to share with us the gift that was inside of her, and she shined bright! She encourages us to do the same – to be brave enough to shine bright and be it – be the light.
Jesus said it like this, “You are the light of the world.”
Jesus did not say that we are like the light, or that we are similar to light. He said we are the light of the world. The question we must consider is are we brave enough to be the light that Christ desires us to be in the darkness of the world we are living in today. Just as Amanda Gordon was brave enough to stand in the face of threats of violence, hate and bigotry to shine brightly, Christ instructs us to do the same.
The instructions from Jesus in this text speaks to three specific traits:
Be brave. This means to have courageous behavior or charter. Bravery is exhibited when you are confident in who you are. Jesus tells us, we are the light of the world. Let us therefore be brave in who we are as believers.
Be bold. This means not to hide. Jesus said no one lights a lamp hides it under a basket, but puts it on a lampstand for the whole house. Do not hide your light, as it guides and directs the path those in darkness should travel. May your light guide others to Christ.
Be bright. Dim light almost defeats the purpose of light. If you are brave and bold, also shine bright. The exact words of Christ are, “let your light shine.” So be bright so that no one has any doubt of who the light of the world is – His name is Jesus!
Let us be brave enough to be it.
