Daily Devotional March 30 - Jesus is the Light

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, 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

Do you believe it? What Jesus is claiming is that many others will come along with great teaching, they might even be prophets or visionaries. They will have pure speech and a fine mind. They will teach what they know from the wisdom they have obtained in their fine finite mind. They might even teach truths that men should live by. They might even teach profound truths and they might direct the people to do good and be at peace with one another. But they are not The Light. That's what makes Jesus different. Jesus is the Light. Jesus doesn't just understand what's going on in the universe. Jesus made it. Jesus walked and lived on earth just like other prophets; Mohammad, Buddha, Vishnu and others, but Mohammad, Buddha, Vishnu and the others did not create the universe.

Jesus came down from the heavens, the others did not. Jesus is alive, the others are not. Jesus is God who came to us, the others are not. Others may have some light, but Jesus is the Light. Any wisdom that others purport to have obtained, they obtained from Jesus. Jesus is the source, the others received from the source.

The others can teach about the Light, but only Jesus is the Light. Others can teach you a great many things, but only Jesus can grant you eternal life. I'm not afraid to learn from others across the world, the great and respected writers, philosophers and prophets, and I gleam from them whatever light they possess, but to look to them as if they were the Light would be foolish, and not profitable and not true. Why not learn from all those who went before us the way it was meant to be, 'Men and women striving for excellence passing on their beliefs from their journey.' But they are not the Light, just a small reflection, if any, of the Light. Jesus is the Light.