But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light...
— 1 Peter 2:9
GOD INTENDED that Israel would be an example to the world of the blessings He would bestow upon those who made Him their God. He chose Israel to be His light to the world. But the Jews forsook God’s ways and followed after other gods. They did not bring the light of God to the world but rather, gloried in the fact that God had chosen them.
The blessings God offered Israel have now been offered to you, the church. We are His royal priesthood, and just as the priest’s job was to bring the people to God and God to the people, our job is to represent God to the world.
WE ARE TO LET OUR LIGHT SHINE SO THAT ALL THOSE LIVING IN DARKNESS WILL FIND THEIR WAY TO HIM.
God has called us out of darkness and into the light, so we are to declare His praises to those watching our lives and wondering about our strength, our hope, our joy. Jesus declared Himself to be “the light of the world” (John 8:12). And He has made us to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). We are to be His ambassadors and His witnesses.
What a blessing it is to belong to the Father of light! And what a privilege it is to testify of His goodness to a world so desperate for love and forgiveness.
Father, may we indeed let our light so shine that when men see the good works You produce in us, they will glorify You.
Amen.