Your Light Matters

I remember driving on the interstate—going about 80 mph. Suddenly, and without any warning, I saw a large piece of furniture flip out of the back of a pickup truck. Within a matter of seconds, the furniture crashed right in front of my car. I hastily swerved to the left (luckily into the shoulder of the road), and avoided the danger. Once I swerved back onto the road, I looked into my rearview mirror to see the fate of the car behind me. To my relief, the driver behind me followed my exact path and avoided a collision. And just like that, I watched a domino effect take place—with car after car after car. Each driver knew to serve left because of the example of the car ahead of him/her.

I guarantee that each one of us has “been that driver,” setting an example for a person in need, or “that follower,” because of the positive example of another. Sometimes we forget that there are oh so many people in darkness who are in need of light, and they look to you and me to find that light. It could be a child, a neighbor, a spouse, a friend, a stranger—anyone, but no matter who it is, our light can make all the difference—if we choose to let it shine.

Joseph B. Wirthlin reminds us why our light matters,

“In working together as husbands, wives, sons, and daughters, we can achieve the true meaning of those most thrilling words spoken by Jesus, when he said:

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14–16.)

“If we live the principles of the gospel, we are the fulfillment of the Savior’s pronouncement: “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). And possessing this light, we can shine among our fellowmen through our lives and deeds, influencing them to glorify our Father in Heaven.

“Jesus wants every one of us to know him because of the transforming power of that knowledge and because of the indescribable joy it brings into our lives. But the influence of the gospel is to extend beyond each individual. It is to be as a light that dispels the darkness from the lives of those around us. No one of us is saved solely and simply for himself alone, just as no lamp is lighted merely for its own benefit.”

I love this reminder! Light isn’t to be used merely for ourselves. It is to be shared for all to benefit from. In 3 Nephi 18:24, Christ teaches, "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do…”

I’m sure we can all agree that we don’t always “hold up” our light—for many different reasons (fear, insecurity, thoughtlessness, pride, ashamed, selfishness, sin, etc). But I love that Christ reminds us to do it. It really does matter. He needs us to hold up His light to bring others to Him. We do this by becoming like Him. When we strive to live a Christ-like life, we help others find Christ. We hold up our light so others can discover His amazing grace. We hold it up so people will come to know Christ, because they know us. We strive to live Christ-like lives and do good works to bring glory to God—to bring others to Him.

A scenario has come to my mind to better explain the importance of holding up our light. Imagine if our journey of life was represented by a dark ocean. We each are a sailboat, trying to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, by looking to the “lighthouse” of the world. So let’s really visualize our ocean—storm raging, waves crashing, and it’s hard to see. Darkness is all about us. But the one thing we can see is a lighthouse on a hill, and we know we must keep our eyes fixed on it in order to avoid the darkness and emptiness of the sea. The awesome thing about our story is that as we come unto the lighthouse (Christ), our sailboats begin to shine light, too. If we look around, we’ll notice the lights of the sailboats surrounding us, each helping one another press on toward the lighthouse.

But there are countless sailboats far behind—who are lost, who can’t see the lighthouse. They are struggling in the darkness. What is their fate? Well, your light, on your sailboat, may be the ONLY thing they see that can help lead and guide them. They need your light. They will follow you. And as these struggling sailboats follow your light, they also unknowingly come closer to the lighthouse, even Jesus Christ. Soon enough, they will discover the lighthouse for themselves, because you chose to “hold up your light.” By following you, they were able to find their Savior.

We can never underestimate the importance of shining our light. People are suffering in the storm. People are drowning in the sea. People need help finding the true source of deliverance, even Jesus Christ. People need YOUR light to lead them to Christ.

There is an experience regarding this principle that I had over a decade ago that I feel prompted to share. I was taking a psychology class, and one of my assignments was to interview someone who had struggled with depression. So, I asked one of my good friends (whom I’ll call “Jeff”) if I could interview him and he agreed. I’ll never forget that interview. Our conversation went something like this:

Jeff: “In junior high I was suicidal, and every day I thought about killing myself. You probably don’t remember this, but you helped me get through that year.”

Me (feeling totally confused): “Me? What did I do?”

Jeff: “Every single day in the hallway, you smiled and said hi to me by name. I intentionally walked down that hallway to hear you say hi. I looked forward to it every single day. You’ll never know how much it mattered to me. It helped me more than you’ll ever know.”

I had no idea that my friend was suicidal. I had no idea saying hi mattered so much. However, I am deeply grateful that I acted on prompting, even without understanding it. I’ve since wondered, what if I had stopped saying hi? Or what if I had decided I wasn’t in the mood to reach out anymore, or that my own problems were too great? I’m glad I don’t have the answers to those questions.

Some of us may feel like my friend, Jeff—struggling to find the light while drowning in the darkness. In those moments, we can take courage in the words of President Thomas S. Monson,

"Life is perfect for none of us, and at times the challenges and difficulties we face may become overwhelming, causing our light to dim. However, with help from our Heavenly Father, coupled with support from others, we can regain that light which will illuminate our own path once again and provide the light others may need."

There is hope for each of us, no matter our current “light level.” Dieter F. Uchtdorf powerfully reminds us,

“And to all who suffer—to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely—I say with love and deep concern for you, never give in. Never surrender. Never allow despair to overcome your spirit. Embrace and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart.”

I know from personal experience that our Savior’s love really does pierce through all darkness. Christ is the source of all light—for He is the light of the world. As we trust in Heavenly Father, follow Jesus Christ, and receive help from others, we will discover the light we so desperately need. And then we can share that light to bless others.

Just minutes ago, my 5 year old daughter asked me a question that I’ve asked myself so many times. She knows that I like to write "messages about Jesus." So she asked, “But Mom, what if people don’t believe in Jesus, even after they read this?” I smiled at her and said, “That is okay! There are definitely people who won’t read it or won’t believe it. That is their choice that they get to make. But guess what? There might be somebody who DOES believe it, and it might help them. That’s why we never stop trying to share Jesus’ light with others.” Her little question gives me the courage to continue to strive to share light with others, hoping I can help even just one person. This experience also reminded me how much children look to the light of their mothers. The impact a mother can have on her children is incalculable. The light we shine in our families will influence generations for good. I am so grateful for all the women before me who influenced my great-grandmother, who influenced my grandmother, who influenced my mother, who influenced me. I’m grateful for the mothers who influenced my dad. I’m grateful for the mothers who influenced my husband. It’s beautiful to think about the ripple effect a mother’s light has on so many souls.

Ours is the opportunity to shine each day—within the walls of our homes and beyond. We may never know who is watching or who is looking to our light—but I promise those people are out there. Let’s not let them down! As we press forward and look to the lighthouse of the Lord, we will personally overcome darkness, and we will help others do the same. When one person chooses to hold up their light, the domino effect that can take place is incalculable. May we each rise to the call to let our light so shine. 🌞