The Light of the World: Overcoming Fear Through Faith

Matthew 5:14-16

“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.”

Have you ever felt passion for an idea? Something you have recognized that brought you so much excitement because you… finally figured it out! You share it with your boss at work, or your spouse, or a friend - somebody who would equally benefit, or at least appreciate, what this means. And their response was - well, disappointing. They tell you why that doesn’t make sense, or why it won’t work. Maybe they even attack you or mock you for such a silly idea.

As you experience this, you might begin to take the feedback to heart. You might experience deep, unsettling feelings of apprehension and rejection; thoughts such as: “What I have to say doesn’t matter,” or "Nobody listens to me anyhow.” You may learn to respond to this with a desire for validation - seeking attention through behavior, dress, and performance. You may seek to prove those feelings wrong with a life dedicated to professional and personal development.

Yet those feelings and thoughts don’t leave you; they continue interpreting your experiences, always present through good times, reminding you that your success or accomplishment is only temporary and doesn’t change what’s wrong with you, and bad times, helping you to believe and embrace the moments of failure as affirming of your fears.

But the light inside of you - the image of God expressed through your unique personality, convictions, gifts, love, courage, compassion, obedience, and good works - remains. It may be obscured by the shadows of fear and doubt, but it remains. Here in Matthew, Jesus teaches that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden; and a lit lamp is to be placed on a stand so that all in the house may see by its light.

Where the world teaches that you are to stay idly by, remain quiet, and that you have nothing to contribute, Jesus asserts that your value is unwavering and unchangeable - God knew you before he formed you in the womb, He breathed the breath of life into you.

The world cannot create or destroy the value God has already given you. It can only convince you to hide it.What is fascinating about light in the dark is that it takes very little light to enlighten much darkness. A simple match can provide light for the darkest of rooms, and a small flashlight can grant visibility in the middle of a forest at night. So it is with you as well. As you step into who you are, unapologetically acting with the strength of who God created you to be, the darkness may just begin to abate.

And it is with this power that Jesus tells us here to act. The world often feels darker because those called to bear Christ's light are tempted to hide it. This can be an understandable fear in the sense that it is scary to walk contrary to the world around us; it comes with real risks.Speaking up to your boss at work to call out immorality and abuse has real consequences. Coming to the aid of a neighbor or friend can come with real consequences. Holding others accountable has real consequences. It feels safer to not speak up, to not act, and to not draw attention to ourselves.But what is the cost of hiding who you are and choosing not to act?

The light that you withhold - what could that have enlightened? Who could that have guided?

A city on a hill is meant to call to refugees and sojourners as a place of safety and refuge. Every act of courage, integrity, compassion, or sacrifice gives someone else permission to believe those things are still possible.

And for what reason do you fear? Stop and truly consider this question. What response rises within you? What are you afraid may happen?

Is it a concern for a lack of strength? If the weight of the world, the consequences you may face, were yours to bear alone, surely that would hold anybody back. But what if your strength was founded in something much greater than you? What if the courage to act was never meant to originate in yourself, but from confidence in the One who goes before you?

If the burden of righteousness was yours alone to bear, surely that would inhibit many. But what if it was never your calling to carry the full weight of righteousness? What if you weren’t created to do such a thing, even if you wanted to? What if all that was asked of you was one faithful step of obedience? A step in alignment with the deepest voice within you - the Spirit of Truth.

The responsibility for saving the world, then, wouldn’t be upon your shoulders. The responsibility for saving the world was never yours.

It rests upon the only One who can bear such a weight.

If you struggle in these ways, then I say to you: Selah. Pause and remember - pause and remember who your God is and His faithfulness. You are not alone, and it is not up to you to save the world. It is our calling to be a light on a hill; to allow our actions to show a pathway in the darkness that others, too, may see and be guided by.

In this way, it is a choice - a simple one. The world has spent years teaching you who you are through rejection, fear, failure, and shame. Christ offers another testimony. Every day, whether consciously or not, we choose which voice we believe. One leads us further into hiding. The other calls us into the light.

Thank you for taking the time to read. My hope is that these reflections encourage you to know God more deeply, understand yourself more clearly, and live more faithfully. If this article resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who may need it, and subscribe to follow future reflections from Faithful Surrender Counseling. Check out the first article in this series here. Until next time—Selah.