In many nations such as the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia, terms like “ungodly nations” and “modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah” are often used to describe societies whose norms, laws, and educational curriculums do not align with the values and principles of the Kingdom of God.
Recently, during a series of mass gatherings of young people around the world, deep questions have arisen about morality and the church’s stance on issues such as the acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community, the concept of abstinence, and its relevance in today’s society. These are major concerns for the future of strong, healthy, and sustainable churches.
This year, the church is being challenged to live out its calling and become the true light of the world in every sphere. The calling to be the light is a powerful one, granting great responsibility to share love and kindness with others, guiding people through the perils of life with the word of God. With this in mind, the question remains: Are we ready to carry such a call? How often do we scroll through our Instagram feed, like Christian content on TikTok, yet fail to post a scripture or mention the word ‘Jesus’ even once a year on our stories or make a viral video about our faith?
Marianne Williamson, a famous American author, once said, “You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” This quote reminds us of our clarion call as believers to be the light and salt that the world needs, and not to belittle the impact one can make when living for Christ in this generation.
To the youth in the diaspora, the church is calling us to a deeper way of thinking beyond the religiosity of Christianity, which is often limited to attending church services, conferences, events, and feel-good evangelism. Instead, we are called to truly reflect Christ and be a shining light in our damaged world. We can no longer attend clubs on Saturday and churches on Sunday if we want to reflect Christ, or attend conferences that go against our beliefs.
If we stand for truth and live by it, those around us can truly come to the saving knowledge of Christ. Do not be a follower; endeavour to be Christ’s true reflection in speech, conduct, and holy living. We are the carriers of the truth, and the potency of this will be seen by how we proudly and boldly live out our faith in 2025.
Whenever the term ‘light of Christ’ comes to mind, I am reminded of the popular scripture in Matthew 5:14-16, which states, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” This scripture emphasises that a city set on a hill is visible and can be seen by all. It is an opportunity for us as believers to reflect on how we live out our faith with purpose and authenticity. People are not looking for religious individuals but for truth-speaking, truth-living, evidence-based believers. This is also the kind of follower our Father in heaven is seeking.
So, ask yourself today: How are you living as light in your generation?
Written by Elder Michael Benson
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