Light to the World

When God told me a couple weeks ago that I was going to India to do basketball camps for Him with Vision Sports, my first thought was “Do Indians even play basketball?” It became very clear before the trip that

God needs us to be the “light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” wherever He asks us to go—even if it is halfway around the world to people with whom we seemingly do not have anything in common (Matthew 5:14).

One night after driving home from our last camp session that day, our vehicle got a flat tire. We stopped IN THE MIDDLE of HEAVY traffic to assess the situation. (Traffic is NO joke and makes New York drivers look like saints!) When our driver had finally confirmed it was a flat tire, we SLOWLY moved through the traffic weavers and honkers to the side of the road. Upon getting out of the car, we instantly saw that it was completely dark, smelled like a garbage dumpster, and the temperature made it feel like our insides were boiling while sitting in an oven. Our car passengers waited on the sidewalk as the driver began working on the vehicle. Realizing that the darkness was not allowing him to work effectively, we used our iPhone flashlight app to bring light to the situation. BAM. Insert Holy Spirit revelation. As His light-bearers here on earth, that is exactly what we do. We bring light to dark places.

We are the light in our programs, in our towns, in our families. We are called to be the light that Jesus was to the world: “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." (John 8:12) Just like the driver trying to fix the tire in complete darkness, which was initially frustrating for Him, God wants us to understand that we no longer live in darkness. This is the hope that we share with others—that we have been called out of darkness into His light.

Although it is often easy to allow daily tasks and circumstances to overshadow our main purpose, always remember that WE have been called to be light, wherever we are. It is a bright light that cuts through the darkest of situations, places, and people. Stay confident that the light shining through us is making a difference. God promises that it will, so trust Him and keep shining!

Have a blessed week!