Genesis 11-13:1-4; Matthew 5: 1-26; Psalms 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15 NIV)

My family is originally from Western NY, up near the Canadian border. Despite moving around after my parents became pastors, we always found ourselves back in NY for periods of time, whether that be visiting extended family, when I attended college, or when my parents eventually were back in the area for a brief amount of time. There would be nights when I would be driving to see a friend or family member, and go through miles and miles of countryside. Everything would be eerily dark, and I often found myself praying to God that something wouldn’t happen to my car and I’d be stuck on the side of the road. I remember driving to see my boyfriend in college–it was a half hour trip down dark country roads until you hit the top of the lake, where you could finally see the booming college town below. I would always breathe a sign of relief when I got there: if I broke down, it would be a bummer, but I was again around people who would provide me the help I needed. I wouldn’t be alone in the dark.

I think of those trips when I read these verses in Matthew. “A town built on a hill cannot be hidden”–we know that we are in a dark and sinful world. Sometimes it can feel like we are the only light heading down a long and scary road ahead. But it’s important to keep our light burning because, eventually, we will meet our city on a hill.

The obvious take away from these verses is to keep the light of our faith lit and glowing for all to see–not to hide the precious light we’ve received from our heavenly Father, and to remember that even one small light can provide hope in the darkness. But I feel Jesus was also emphasizing the need for community. “A town built on a hill cannot be hidden”–when we stand with others in our faith, we become a city, a beacon, for all to see. I think of the relief I would feel when I finally saw the city lights below me. Relief that there were people waiting for me; people who loved and cared for me and would make sure that I had what I needed. When we come together as a faith community, not only do we shine brightly for others to see and be drawn to, but we stand out in a dark world.

Community can be hard, but its worth it to keep searching for the one you fit in with. We’re still human, so we’ll still disappoint and hurt each other unfortunately. But we can’t give up–the Lord desires us to be in community, on display for the world, and he’ll tell you where you fit. Sometimes we’re on the path alone for a time, but we’re still on a journey, and following God will always lead to his light and will for our lives.

Today I pray for your light to shine bright, and for your community to wrap itself around you in light. And that each of us would stand out and “give light to everyone in the house.”