Suppose a group of tourists lands in Peking. Instead of hiring a tour guide, they decide to wander around the city on their own, even though they know nothing about the city and speak no Chinese. What a foolish and dangerous thing to do. Wise tourists hire a reliable tour guide who is fluent in Chinese and knows the city like the back of her hand. With a plan in mind, the tour guide leads the visitors through the unfamiliar city.
Aren’t the people of our age like foolish tourists who wander around a strange city without knowing where they are going? Do they have a clear purpose for living? Are they trying to navigate their way during their short time on earth without a tour guide?
We know that God sent his Son to earth to make God’s plan clear for us, and to be a “tour guide” from heaven to show each of us how to get home. Besides this, he is the only person who truly knows the language of God.
Knowing that his ministry was but for a few short years, Jesus prepared his disciples to continue to be “tour guides” after he ascended to heaven. We read today what a serious responsibility this is (Matthew 5:13-16).
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?”
If a tour guide forgets how to get around the city, of what use is he?
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.”
In pre-modern days when people travelled, they knew they were nearing their destination when they saw the city sitting on top of a hill. A city on the hill was a solid landmark that assured them they were heading in the right direction. Then, using a domestic analogy, Jesus talked about how important it was at night to have a lamp in the house. Without it, people would stumble along trying to find their way from room to room. How silly it would be to have a lamp and then cover it up so no one could see it. In such a case, the lamp would be useless.
Jesus’ disciples were to be “salt shakers,” lamps, and cities that would not only add flavor and purpose to life, but also help people find their way through the darkness. From the beginning, the Evil One, the prince of darkness, provided counterfeit tour guides to keep people confused and wandering around life with no purpose and no hope. God in his love provided light, purpose, and direction for the people of the world. We now have a choice: either stumble around in the darkness not knowing where we’re going or set our eyes on the city built on a hill and make sure that every step we take is directed toward reaching that city.
As baptized believers and followers of Jesus, each of us is called to be a “tour guide” in our time. With a clear destiny and a reliable road map, we become lights and cities on a hill to the people of our time. If we stumble along with the lost sheep of the world, of what use are we? God called us, not to live the “good life” but to be lights in the world, helping lost souls find their way back home. If we try to “play it safe” by keeping our lamps covered so people will not take offense at us or label us “know-it-alls,” then God wasted the water of baptism on us.
We live in desperate times—in a dark and confused world. God has put each of us on a hill for others to see, and on a lampstand to give light to their houses. Let us be the confident, knowledgeable tour guides Jesus called us to be.
Jesus help us keep our lamps burning brightly.
