In the early part of the nineteenth century, Haiti’s King Henri Christophe built a massive fortress (the “Citadel”) on one of the highest mountain peaks a few miles from the northern coast of Haiti. The Citadel was a defensive measure against the possible threat of Napoleon’s armies return to squelch the newly liberated slave state.
Christophe built the Citadel on a mountain for two strategic reasons. First, by being on a mountain, he had a military advantage of attacking the enemy if they were to climb the mountain to take over the fortress. Second, Christophe was able to see the enemy ships approaching from far off because the elevation gave him a clear view of the coast.
Where we live in Haiti, we are more than fifteen miles from the citadel, but we can still see it. You can see the Citadel from further away than that on a clear day because it sits on the top of that impressive peak far off in the distance.
Isn’t that interesting? That I can’t see some of my neighbors that are just a few yards away due to trees and the landscape, but I can see the Citadel when it’s so far off?
Jesus compares being a Christian to being a city on a hill. He says, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matt. 5:14). What does he mean by this?
It’s quite simple, really. Cities that are on hills, like the Citadel, can be seen by all. They are not hidden, or hard to see. They are not secret, like an underground bunker.
For too many Christians today, their faith is more like an underground bunker than a city on a hill. This isn’t surprising. Our North American culture teaches us that faith (and politics) is to be a private matter—something you keep to yourself and don’t share with others. More than this, being a Christian isn’t in style. If you tell people you’re a Christian, they can make all sorts of negative assumptions about you. This is how culture pressures people to keep their faith hidden.
Jesus says don’t do this (Jesus often times instructs us to do things that are counter-cultural). Jesus says that our faith should be seen by all, like a city on a hill. Faith is something that we are to share with others, not to be kept hidden.
In the same passage from Matthew Jesus goes on to say, “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
Don’t hide your faith. Jesus makes clear what will happen if we do. He says, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven” (Matt. 10:32).
This little light of mine? Yep, I’m gonna let it shine.
