Matthew 5:14-16
Are you familiar with the words communicable and incommunicable? Communicable means shared, contagious, and transferable. Incommunicable means not shared, not contagious, not transferable.
These words might sound familiar if you’ve heard of a contagious sickness, a virus that’s communicable or not. But today, we’re talking instead about the attributes of God and the ways you and I are called to be like Him, as well as ways we can never be like Him.
God is God, and I’m not like Him in profound ways. He is infinite. My life is vapor; I might get to 100 years if I’m extremely lucky. He knows everything. I surely don’t. He’s all-powerful. I’m weak, I bleed, and I break and bruise. He can be present everywhere and throughout time. I can’t even begin to fathom that. These are incommunicable ways I’m not like Him.
But surprisingly, there are many ways He calls me to be just like Him! And by the power of his Spirit alive within me, His ways are contagious to me. I can share in His likeness; His righteousness is transferred onto me! Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.” He calls me to love as He loves — and in so doing, “all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” God calls us to live pure and holy lives, for He is pure and holy. He calls us to be gentle, kind and to do good, for He is gentle, kind, and good. He calls us to show mercy and forgive, for He has shown mercy and has forgiven us. He calls us to live like Him for an important purpose — that the world sees Him!
In John 8:12, Jesus said something that sounds incommunicable: “I am the light of the world.” As the Son of God, I guess you can say that — You are holiness in bodily form. You shine righteousness brighter than anyone who’s ever lived. But in Matthew 5:14-16, He calls His followers the same thing! “YOU are the light of the world!” This light of the world-ness is communicable, contagious, transferred from the perfect Son of God to his disciples, his imitators, his children — you and me.
God, may I live my life shining brightly. May the way I live today make the world see You!
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member