Salt and Light (Part Three)

Salt and Light (Part Three).  In the contiguous United States, Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas is the least polluted area in terms of ambient light. It is classified as a Dark Sky Reserve. On the 1 to 9 numeric Bortle Scale of Dark-Sky, only a handful of places in the “Lower 48” earn a rating of 1, the darkest measurement, so dark that the Milky Way itself casts shadows on Earth. Goldsboro, NC, scores 5.5; Raleigh is 8.3. As expected, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles each peg at 9 where the dark-sky rating maxes out.

Except for Rome in 133 bc which was the first city in history to reach a million inhabitants, a feat not repeated until London reached the million-mark in 1801, the entire ancient world would have been rated as Bortle 1, a completely dark night sky. Antiquity’s best lamps would have been dim at best. The darker the environment, the more impactful the light is.

It is conceivable that, in the historical past, any light source in a direct sightline during nighttime, whether campfire or candle, would have been visible for miles. An elevated light source would have been a looming, welcoming beacon for travelers. Most early cities in the Mediterranean Rim were elevated, and most walls and houses would have been constructed with white limestone. The white surfaces, which help reflect the heat during the day, would also reflect the moon and stars during the night, making the city to stand-out against the darkness like a nearly luminous landmark. Likewise, the white limestone construction could help fill the inside of those houses by diffusing the small light cast by fist-sized, clay lamps.

Alluding strongly back to Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6, Jesus grabs this light imagery as he teaches the people about the large impact that individual godliness has on its community. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house” (Matt. 5:14-15).

Visibility is the point; a little light goes a long way in the dark as a city set on a hill and as a lamp set upon a lampstand. But such visibility is for others to see better, not for the limelight to be seen better by others. The purpose of godliness in the form of good works is that others will see and celebrate God, the true source of all the light reflected by his people scattered about in society. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Thus, being light in the world is worship of God and service to neighbor.