Light

“For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:5

Light is important. We rely on light to help show us where we are located or where we are going. Our ability to see light is an amazing thing. According to studies done by Scientists at Columbia University in 1941, the human eye can see the light of a flickering candle up to a distance of 30 miles. (48 kilometers) The human eye is an extremely sensitive organ that can see great distances. Due to the specific surface of the Earth, our vision capacity is limited to 3.1 miles, 5 kilometers. The distance at which the human eye can actually see is based on the photons, or light particles, emitted by a particular object. Thus, the furthest object that can be seen by human beings without any special equipment is the Andromeda galaxy. The distance between the Earth and the galaxy is 2.6 million light years. We are able to see it because of the thousands of photons emitted by the stars in the galaxy.

Paul talks about the church in Thessalonica as a light to the world. A place where people can see the light shining. That light comes from Jesus. He is the source of light. We are reflectors of that light. The world can tell who we are by the kind of light that pours out of us. Like bicycle reflectors, our lives are meant to flash to a world in darkness to show them what is available to them here and now. A relationship with Jesus. Just as Paul encourages the Thessalonians to shine, he writes to us as well. We are reminded that the light of Jesus reaches farther than we can imagine. It illuminates sin and reveals hope. Remember that someone you meet today needs a little light. Shine!