What If It’s You?

I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations. —Isaiah 42:6

There has always been debate about this passage. Who exactly is it referring to? Some think it’s about Isaiah himself. Others believe it’s about the entire Jewish people, Jesus, or all of us. We will never know for sure, so what if we live as if it refers to us? (God won’t mind, I’m sure.)

Ask yourself how you might treat yourself differently if you truly believed God has called you personally, taken you by the hand, and kept you close all of your life. What decisions might you change if you thought of yourself with that much reverence? If you believe that God intends for you to be a light to the nations, would you be a different kind of neighbor? Would you live differently as a student or classmate? How might you be a different employer or employee? Would your home life change if you were committed to being a light to those with whom you share your home?

Even if Isaiah didn’t have you or me in mind when he wrote this passage 2,500 years ago, God is still calling us, taking us by the hand, and asking us to be lights in whatever corner of the world we find ourselves. Jesus often talked about light in the darkness, and he asked his followers not to hide their lights under bushel baskets. Let’s take on the mantle of responsibility, and let our light shine forth.

For Action: Go about your day today conscious that God wants you to be a light for others. Let God use you as a conduit of love, healing, and grace.

To Pray: Lord, help me let your light shine forth today.