Light

Light. Without it, our world would be dark and cold; the beauties within could not enjoyed. For a time, I had the privilege of getting up for work at 4am, when the sunrise is still hours away; the beautiful mountains of the Wasatch front in Provo remain in darkness. But when the light returns and the mountains again are visible, I can enjoy the beauty of those natural works of art.


In scripture and other prophecy, light is a powerful symbol of our journey in this mortal sphere. In both symbolic imagery and literal recounting, light is used to indicate direction, as received from our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Ten Virgins had to light their lamps so as to be prepared to meet the bridegroom. Lehi in a vision-dream stood in darkness and then saw the tree, full of brilliant light. In the days preceding Jesus' appearance to the Nephites, there was a period of darkness (a lack of light). Joseph Smith reported that a "pillar of light" appeared above him, in the which the Two Personages were then seen. Christ described himself as "the light of the world," indicating where we should always look for direction. The examples  vary greatly in their representation of light.

We will examine here elements of the rhetorical usage of light, including what it means to "receive" light, what it means to "be" a light, and how we can personally reflect on the amount of light in our lives.

First off, we often read in scripture and talks from General Authorities about "receiving light." In a physical sense, we don't really receive light, it simply is a reality of our being outside in the daytime, or in a lighted room. So how is it that we receive light? What does that entail? To receive light is to receive direction or clarity. It could also mean receiving a confirmation to an action or an answer to a question. Essentially, to receive light is to receive encouragement or guidance in any form from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. In many ways physical light and spiritual light are similar in their interactions with us. Physical light allows us to see the world around us; spiritual light allows us to see the world as God sees it. It's no coincidence that the word "vision" can refer both to our ability to see and a revelatory episode from the Lord. But there is a distinct difference. Elder Gerald Lund of the Seventy said this, on receiving light: "As the Lord reveals Himself and His will to us, one concept or one principle at a time, we have to choose whether to accept it or not. If we reject or ignore even small increments of light and truth, the process of receiving further light and knowledge is hindered." Receiving light requires us to actively and consciously accept it. We must search for it, and when it comes, we must accept it. In the physical world that is not necessarily true, but in the spiritual, it is essential to our following the path that the Lord has prepared for us. In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph, the Lord said, "Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit...I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy," (D&C 11:12-13). As we seek for light through honest study of the scriptures and active, humble prayer, we can receive that light in the form of the Spirit.

Another phrase often used in Gospel contexts associated with light, is to be a light. If we think of light as the Spirit or revelation, we can quickly realize that these phrases are distinct in their usage of the symbol of light; it's hard for us to consciously be a revelation to others and obviously even harder to be the Spirit. But one prominent scripture and quotes from our modern prophet yield insight into this phrase. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." President Monson said in his most recent Conference address:

"We become examples of the believers by living the gospel of Jesus Christ in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. As we do so our lights will shine for others to see...As we follow the example of the Savior and live as He lived and He taught, that light will burn within us and will light the way for others."

This is the way that we can be a light. That light which we receive as we live the gospel and gain insights through study and prayer becomes a visible, almost tangible entity within us. We all know great friends who are pure and diligent, who have a certain twinkle in their eyes. It's not our imagination, nor is it good genetics; it is the Spirit and the goodness within them showing through. As we act, attempting to serve others in the name of Christ, we share the light that we possess with them. We become instruments in His hands to help others also receive light, as we have. What a blessing that becomes in our own lives.

Another scripture yields insights on light in more than one language. Matthew 6: 22-23 says, "The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body should be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness, how great is that darkness!" We just discussed light in the eyes, but how can the light be the eyes? Being a Spanish aficionado, I often look to the scriptures in Spanish to compare, and this scripture, in the Reina-Valera, the Church-approved Spanish translation, yields certain insights. Translated from that scripture, it then reads:

"The lamp of the body is the eye; as such, if your eye is sincere, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be darkened. And so, if the light that is in you is darkened, how great will that darkness be?


 The light here is characterized more specifically as a lamp. When we walk in a darkened place, the only way that we can truly be enlightened as we progress is if we have our lamp pointed in the right direction. The only way to be truly guided to where we need to be is by focusing our lamps--our light--our eyes on the things of God. Note also that in English the last clause is an exclamation, while in Spanish, it's a question. As we look there, we realize that it is a personal question."If the light that is in you is darkened, how great will that darkness be?" If you were to turn your focus from the Lord to some less worthy endeavor, where will that leave you, personally? With certain sins or just bad habits, we often have certain stimuli or "sparks" that lead us to desire to return to sin. That is what causes our light to turn off, when we turn away from the lighted path by refocusing on those "sparks of sin." The light then dims, and we are left in spiritual darkness. But President Monson said, "With help from our Heavenly Father, coupled with support from others, we can regain that light which will illuminate our own path and provide the light others may need." So ask yourself:

If the light that is in me is darkened, how great will that darkness be? Where will it leave me, spiritually. This should be a deterrent from sin, as a great motivator to seek after light and righteousness.

In conclusion, the point of spiritual light is to make known; that is literally what the word revelation means. If we increase in light, we increase in our knowledge of the mysteries of God. We plant ourselves firmly on the path to becoming like our Father. As Ammon reported: "Unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed," (Alma 26:22). Let us strive to find that type of great enlightenment in our lives, that we might then be able to transmit it to others.