Be A Light

The following is the talk I (J.D.) gave in sacrament meeting last Sunday ...

Be A Light
Schenectady, NY Ward Sacrament Meeting
March 14, 2010


I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today and ask for the Spirit of the Lord to be with us that we might feel and know what the Lord would have us do.

The topic of my talk today is drawn from the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount. We read in Matthew 5:14-16: “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.”

The Savior admonished us to be the light of the world, much like a candle atop a candlestick gives light to “all that are in the house”. All of us born on this earth are given the light of Christ to guide us throughout our lives. We read in D&C 84:46-47: “And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.”

What does it mean to be a light to the world? Is the light one that is actually visible? President James E. Faust shared an experience regarding the lease for the land in Jerusalem on which the Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies was later built.

“Before this lease could be signed, President Ezra Taft Benson and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, then president of Brigham Young University, agreed with the Israeli government on behalf of the Church and the university not to proselyte in Israel. You might wonder why we agreed not to proselyte. We were required to do so in order to get the building permit to build that magnificent building which stands in the historic city of Jerusalem. To our knowledge the Church and BYU have scrupulously and honorably kept that nonproselyting commitment. After the lease had been signed, one of our friends insightfully remarked, ‘Oh, we know that you are not going to proselyte, but what are you going to do about the light that is in their eyes?’ He was referring to our students who were studying in Israel. What was that light in their eyes which was so obvious to our friend? The Lord Himself gives the answer: ‘And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.’ Where did that light come from? Again the Lord gives the answer: ‘I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ The Lord is the true light, ‘and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.’ This light shows in our countenances as well as in our eyes.” (Ensign, November 2005, p. 20)

President Thomas S. Monson called this state of righteousness the “glow of goodness and the radiance of righteousness” (Thomas S. Monson, “Strength through Obedience,” Ensign, Jul 1996, 2)



Boy scouts love camp fires. There is hardly a scout outing without some kind of fire being lit, and usually the bigger the better! I recall one very cold winter campout with my scouts in Virginia, where the temperatures were well below zero and we camped on the ice and snow. Since we were camping on the property of a member of our ward, we were allowed to build a large bon fire to help keep us warm for the evening. As the scouts gathered around the campfire, I taught them a principle that I like to teach all of my scouts. I pointed to a particular coal in the center, or core of the fire and asked the scouts to describe the coal. The boys described the coal as very hot and glowing bright. The hottest part of the fire is in the core of the fire. If the fire gets hot enough, the coals will begin to glow and emit white light. Then I used a couple of sticks to slowly remove the coal from the fire and asked the boys to describe what they saw as the coal was being distanced from the other coals. The reply was that the coal, which only moments before was glowing brightly was now darkened and cooling. The farther the coal was removed from the center, the dimmer and colder it became. The coal was no longer in the presence of the core heat, and consequently the light which previously was shining from it began to darken. Then I slowly returned the coal to its original position in the center of the fire and asked the boys to describe what they saw. The reply was that the coal began to glow brightly again, and that the closer the coal was to the center, the brighter it glowed. This coal, which was once dim and cooling was now burning hot and emitting light once again. I then taught the boys that all of us are like the coals, and that the center of the fire represents the core of the gospel. The closer we align our individual lives to the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the brighter we will be. Conversely, the farther away from the core of the gospel the dimmer and colder we will be. And just as the once cold and dim coal burned brightly again after being placed back into the center of the fire, we too, through proper repentance, can change from being dim and cold to feeling the light and warmth of the gospel in our lives again.

The Lord taught in D&C 50:24 “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” The Lord also taught what happens to those who remove themselves from the light. We read in D&C 1:33 “And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received.”

Elder David B. Haight taught that “we draw close to our Heavenly Father through obedience to His laws and ordinances of the gospel. As we earnestly seek to draw close to Him, He has promised we will find Him. Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. [D&C 88:63]” (BYU Speeches, “By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them”, 7 December 1980)

Satan, the enemy of light and truth, tries to confuse right from wrong in an effort to lead us into temptation. Isaiah described it in this way: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). However, the prophet Mormon admonished, “Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.”

In the pre-mortal life, we lived with our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the World. Our Heavenly Father’s light is perfect white light, described by the Prophet Joseph Smith as a light that is “brighter than the sun at noonday” In that pre-mortal state, we saw and knew the source of all light and truth. Drawing from the campfire analogy, we were in the core of the fire burning brightly. However, in order to test and prove ourselves, we were sent out of that place of perfect light, into a dark and dreary world where we must chose to kindle the light for ourselves.

President James E. Faust taught “When President Brigham Young was asked why we are sometimes left alone and often sad, his response was that man has to learn to ‘act as an independent being . . . to see what he will do . . . and try his independency—to be righteous in the dark.’ That becomes easier to do when we see the ‘gospel glow . . . radiating from . . . illuminated individuals.’ Service in this Church is a marvelous blessing and privilege that brings light to our eyes and our countenances. As the Savior recommended, ‘Let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’ Words cannot express the blessings that come to us through service in this Church. The Lord promises that if we magnify our callings we will find happiness and joy. … A sacred light comes to our eyes and countenances when we have a personal bond with our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior and Redeemer. With this bond our faces will mirror that ‘sublime assurance’ that He lives.” (Ensign, November 2005, p. 20)

President James E. Faust further taught “What are we doing to keep the light shining in our own eyes and countenances? Much of that light comes from our discipline, dedication, and consecration to some important absolutes. The foremost of these absolutes is that there is a God who is the Father of our souls to whom we account for our actions. Second, that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Third, that the great plan of happiness requires obedience to God’s commandments. Fourth, that the greatest gift of God is eternal life. Other blessings add further to the light in our eyes. They are the gifts of the Spirit that come from the Savior. Joy, happiness, fulfillment, and peace are the gifts of the Spirit that flow from the power of the Holy Ghost.”

The amount of light that radiates from our eyes and our countenance is a measure of our Godliness. Alma taught “I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” (Alma 5:19)

Being the light of the world is a choice. If we choose to keep the commandments of God and center our lives in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will have the “image of God engraven upon [our] countenances.” If, like the dim coal away from the fire, we find our light growing dim, we must choose to return to the center of the fire and rekindle the light. We must recommit ourselves to living fully the gospel of Jesus Christ. The closer our relationship to our Heavenly Father, the brighter our light will be. Our relationship with God grows stronger as we pour out our hearts in sincere daily prayer and study the scriptures diligently. Our light will grow brightest as we develop a close and personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.

I close with the words of one of my favorite hymns.

1. Know then that ev'ry soul is free,
To choose his life and what he'll be;
For this eternal truth is given,
That God will force no man to heaven.

2. He'll call, persuade direct him right;
Bless him with wisdom, love, and light;
In nameless ways be good and kind;
But never force the human mind.

4. May we no more our powers abuse,
But ways of truth and goodness choose;
Our God is pleased when we improve
His grace, and seek his perfect love.
(Hymn 240)

I testify that Jesus Christ is THE Light of the world, the Redeemer of the world, our personal Savior. He lives and loves us with a love that we cannot possibly comprehend in this life. He invites us all to come unto Him, saying “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

May we all choose to be a light and emit the “glow of goodness and the radiance of righteousness” is my humble prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.