The winter of 2003 in Portsmouth, Ohio will probably remain in the memories of many people for many days to come. The ice storm that occurred caused many trees to fall and with their falling many power lines were cut and it blacked out the electrical power of thousands of homes. Some homeowners were without power for a week. For many homeowners who had electric and gas furnaces with electric fans and motors this meant that they didn’t have heat either. And since the city water company needed electric to run the water pumps many people didn’t even have water. I guess we were fortunate in that our power was only off for three nights and three days.

Without electric lights it got dark rather early, like at sunset.

What are some lessons that we can learn from this? It is amazing how much light a single candle can produce when it is totally dark.

Jesus said: "No one, when he has lit a lamp (or a candle), puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. {34} "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. {35} "Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. {36} "If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light" (Luke 11:33-36) .

Our example and how we talk is very important because it reflects our mind in how we think. It shows our character. As Jesus said: "when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light but when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness."

Our example should always include loving God and our neighbor: "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. {10} He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him" (1 John 2:9-10).

In setting a right example we should let our light shine to glorify God: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Mat 5:16).

A light is something that is seen and not heard. We need to set a right example by doing good works, by not letting our right hand know what our left hand is doing. In other words, when you do a good deed, don’t brag or blow your own horn like the Pharisees did when they dropped a small coin into the Temple treasury. Be humble. God knows what you are doing. Do things to be seen of God and not man.

Where does light come from? Physically it comes from the sun or something that makes vision possible, such as a flashlight with batteries, an oil lamp or a candle. Where does light come from spiritually? Jesus said: ""I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life"" (John 8:12).

The moon is like a giant reflector, it reflects the light from the sun. As Christians we are to let Jesus live in us, and by doing so we will reflect His light, His values and His character. We need to believe in Him and live the way He would live and then we will not have to worry about spiritual darkness. Jesus said: ""I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness" (John 12:46).

In the following verse the apostle Paul is quoting Jesus and he shows this analogy that Satan is compared to darkness: "'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me'" (Acts 26:18).

Satan is the father of lies, a murderer and there is no truth in him: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it" John 8:44-46 .

Jesus is faithful, true and righteous. "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He (Jesus) who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Rev 19:11).

The apostle John revealed that Satan has deceived the whole world: "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:9).

Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Satan wants to appear as an angel of light: "For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." (2 Cor 11:14).

Jesus is the Light of the world (John 9:5).

Satan is the god of this world who has blinded mankind against God and Jesus. Once God opens a person’s mind (John 6:44) and gives them the light of the gospel message about Jesus then he can come to God through Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

In Conclusion: We need to be like a little candle in a dark room and let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Set a right example by being a light and not a foghorn.