In The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer has a chapter entitled “The Visible Community.” He writes, ”The call of Jesus makes the disciple community not only salt but also the light of the world; their activity is visible…Jesus does not say, ‘You have the light,’ but ‘You are the light.’ The light is not their preaching. It is the disciples themselves. The same Jesus who, speaking of Himself, said, ‘I am the light,’ says to His followers, ‘You are the light in your whole existence, provided you remain faithful to your calling. And since you are that light, you can no longer remain hidden, even if you want to.’ It is the property of light to shine. A city set on a hill cannot be hid…Now the disciples must be what they really are- otherwise they are not followers of Jesus.”
