“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Jesus had the authority to declare himself as “the light of the world,” yet some were very skeptical. They asked all kinds of questions and were looking for some kind of proof. Jesus answered their questions, but they did not understand his answers, because they were not open to the truth. If we are open to the truth, we can plainly see the good “light of life” that Jesus displays. We can shun the darkness of the world, knowing that it leads to despair. When following Jesus, any potential despair is replaced with hope, and hope is one of the main things we focus on in this season of Advent. Hope through Jesus is not a vain hope; it is an eternal hope which brightens our day. More than that, we can brighten someone else’s day. I’m sure there is someone out there who can benefit from the light of the world! Prayer: Dear Lord, I am so glad that I have you in my life. Today, lead me to someone who needs a word of hope and encouragement. In Jesus’ name, Amen.