The Lights on the Hill
By J.D. Quinn | June 3
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14
I was fifteen years old and felt frustrated because a flat tire had thwarted my plan to return home before dark. It was a moonless night. I could see nothing further than the beam of my headlights. The radio and my thoughts held my attention as I went down the highway, returning from a weekend trip to a friend’s home. I had been on the road for nearly three hours, and my only distractions had been dodging a few darting deer and waddling armadillos.
Turning onto the Farm-to-Market road, I sighed with relief. Our farm was just 4.5 miles away. Then, suddenly, my car coughed and sputtered.
Oh, no! I’m out of gas!
Putting the car into neutral, I let it coast to the side of the road.
This just hasn’t been my day.
Luckily, I had a flashlight with me. Without it, I would have stumbled around in absolute darkness. All that lie ahead of me were a couple more miles of asphalt, then dirt roads. There were no other farmhouses nearby, and cellphones had not been invented.
A pack of coyotes howled in the distance. My heart sank as I moved forward, wondering what lurked in the darkness. Shadows and noises were behind every bush and tree. As I topped a small hill, I breathed easier when I saw our farmhouse sitting on the next hill, only a few miles away. Our farm was easy to spot, as my mother had five huge light poles installed for safety. It looked like a lighted football field in the distance.
Matthew 5:14 came to my mind, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Keeping my mind focused on the light and my heart focused on God, I felt an assurance that all would be well as I trudged forward. Finally arriving at our front door, I was eagerly greeted with a loving hug from my concerned mother.
Many live their lives constantly surrounded by shadows—they are out of gas. As Christians, we need to be a light on the hill that lets our testimony shine about the saving power of Jesus Christ. As we reflect His light, we point people to our Savior—the true Light of the World. His light is a beacon of truth and hope that provides guidance through every challenge life throws at us.
Are you reflecting Him to the world? May God help us all to let our light so shine before others that they will be flooded by His peace. All of us need to keep our eyes focused on Him, trusting that He will make our paths straight and get us safely home.
