God is calling us to rise above this world, to be a shinning light and not just a reflection of it. He calls us a light of the world. He wants our light to shine out brightly before others so that they can see that we are different to the rest of this world.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:3-16

But if we are just running alongside the world doing the same worldly things, how can we possibly stand out from it? How can we rise above this world and be that light of the world that God is calling us to be?

The answer lies in the presence of God, He wants us to draw close to Him. It is where we take that time daily to stop and sit at His feet. We take the time to draw close to Him and listen for His voice. That is what sets us apart, that closeness and intimacy with the Father where we can feel His love, hear His voice and His wisdom and then we do what He is calling us to do.

Reading the letters from the Apostle Paul in the bible is a great place to start, learning how we can rise above this world and live the life we are called to live.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

Paul is urging us to be completely humble, gentle, patient and always treating each other with love. The world can be a harsh place and for us to be humble, gentle, patient and loving is going against the tide in which everybody else is floating along in. But that is how our light begins to shine, that is what sets us apart as followers of Jesus.

He tells us that when we have the Spirit of God living in us, we begin to live a life that is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

We need to daily dwell in the presence of the Lord so that we can rise above the world and be a light shining in the darkness that surrounds us. When we begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit of God living in us people will be drawn to us and in turn will be drawn to our loving Heavenly Father.