We all encounter difficult people every now and then but how do we deal with them as children of God? The Bible says that “You are the child of light and that makes you the light of the world. You must arise and shine because you carry the light of God on the inside of you. Therefore, whenever you engage with difficult people, be really patient. Do not repay them back by being equally difficult because if you do so, you reduce yourself to their level and you dim the light in you. Every time you repay evil with good, you allow the light of God in you to shine in the midst of darkness.

Jesus was and still is the light of the world (John 9:5). Just as he allowed his light to shine for the world to see, he wants you to follow in his footsteps. You must give room for your light to shine in the world. Don’t repay evil with evil but repay evil with good. If somebody shouts you down, do not shout them down no matter how shaken you may have been. If somebody humiliates you, be humble and apologise even if you are not in the wrong. If somebody causes you any harm, pray for them that they may encounter the light of God through you.

I heard a story of a Christian sister who was ambushed by a thief in the night. She was going home from church and she was suddenly waylaid by an armed robber. With a gun on her head, she was asked to give up her wallet. She in turn gently handed over her bag to the armed robber and begged him not to kill her. She explained to him that she was just coming from church and she would like to tell him that Jesus loves him. She spoke a bit further with the robber and somehow he listened. She invited him to her church the next Sunday and to her surprise, he turned up in church and he gave his life to Christ. This is a great example of a Christian repaying evil with good.

You are a child of God and all children of God are lights in the world. You carry the light of life on the inside of you because you believe in Jesus (John 8:12). You have been adopted by God through Jesus Christ into God’s wonderful family, therefore you must shine like the rest of God’s children. Being the light in the world is not meant only for a few of God’s children, every one of God’s children must shine for the world to see. It is what God desires. It is what God wants to see on earth. It is what makes him happy. That every one of his children is being lights for others in the darkness. That every one of his children is not hiding but they are choosing to stand out in darkness so that his name can be glorified.

It is what Jesus your big brother did. He came to the world to show the way. He shone his lights in darkness and made ways where there was none. Jesus your big brother would be so proud of you if you step into his shoes and choose to follow in his footsteps by being the light for others in darkness.

Jesus said you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Anybody who believes in Jesus Christ and chooses to follow him gets adopted into the family of God who is the creator of lights and the father of light. There is no darkness in God. He is light and He is full of light. The moment you step into his family, he welcomes you into his arms and wraps you up with his light. You are thence no longer in darkness but in the light of God. You are the adopted child of God who now lives in the light. Because you believe in Jesus and you follow in his footsteps, you have become the child of light through Jesus Christ and you carry the light of life on the inside of you. You are in every sense a part and parcel of the family of light. So forget about the past, leave darkness behind and embrace your new life in the light. You can no longer harbour or hide in darkness. You must be engulfed in the light and shine from the inside out for the world to see.

God is your light, His word is a light unto your feet and a lamp unto your path (Psalm 119:105). So let us bring it all together; you are the light of the world because you have the light of God on the inside of you and you are surrounded by the light of God on a daily basis. Let your light so shine just as Christ commanded you. “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

Make a Declaration of Faith
I declare the light of God rises upon me, I will arise and shine and the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon me. I declare that my heart is flooded with the light of God so that I can understand the confident hope he has given to me whom he has called–his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I declare the light of God floods my heart and my eyes are opened to see good, pleasant and suitable solutions to my situations. This is my declaration

Daily Bible Meditation
Ephesians 1:18, Psalm 119:105, Isaiah 60:1, John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Genesis 1

You are the light of the world . Arise and shine . You are a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. You must arise and shine. You have been filled with the light of life (John 8:12). You must arise and shine. God has deposited his light in you, let it shine. Open your eyes and see the light of God all around you. See the light God has provided for you, see the light God has covered you with (2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Genesis 1), arise and shine in that light. You are no longer in darkness, you have been called into God’s marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9). You are no longer of the world, you belong to the Lord and he is light. It is time to arise from your slumber, arise from the past, arise from what has kept you bound. Arise and shine for your light have come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

Allow me to explain;

Please close your eyes for a minute and share with us what you can see with your eyes closed? Now open your eyes and share what you can see with your eyes open. How did you feel when you couldn’t see anything? uncomfortable? fearful? motionless? immobile? With your eyes closed still, can you imagine your world without the light? Can you imagine living in darkness? What would the world look like if we had to live in a complete and utter darkness? what would your life look like if you were blind and you cannot see what lies before you or what lies behind you? what would your life be like if you were not able to see what you are surrounded with nor are you able to move forward, backward or move around? can you imagine not been able to do anything? Can you imagine feeling incapacitated? feeling like you are capable of doing great things yet you are unable to do anything because you cannot see? Such is the intensity of captivity of darkness.

Darkness renders people useless. You want to do things but you cannot do anything. You want to see clearly but all you see are shadows of darkness. You want to move forward, to the right or to the left but you cannot even move an inch from where you are standing because of the thickness of darkness around you.