When Benjamin Franklin wanted to introduce street lighting to the people of colonial Philadelphia, he did not lobby politicians, he did not publish editorials, he did not argue with those who disagreed with him. Instead, he simply hung a brilliant lantern on a long bracket in front of his own house.

Every evening, as dusk approached, he faithfully lit the wick. People out in the dark night could see Franklin's streetlight from blocks away and were grateful to walk in its friendly glow.

Soon Franklin's neighbors started putting lanterns on brackets in front of their homes, and it wasn't long before the entire city was illuminated each night with street lamps.

This is pretty much the way Jesus has influenced humankind, by example, by showing us what to do and how to do it. By letting his own light shine, he not only lighted the way for us but gave us the idea that we, too, have lights that should be shining.

The Boy Who Saw a Brighter Light
Who is this Jesus, and why has he had more of an impact on humanity than any other person who ever lived? He wrote no great books and created no important works of art. He was not an international financier. He never commanded a powerful army, and he never ruled so much as a tiny nation. His death caused scarcely a ripple, other than among the relatively few followers he had attracted during his short public life.

If a time machine could take us back to the hills of Nazareth at the time of Jesus' childhood, we might see a young boy who looked and acted the same as any other boy his age. He ate, drank, laughed and cried. It's likely that he caught colds, had stomachaches, played hard, got angry, worried about his studies and thought about girls. He probably attended Hebrew school in his hometown with all the other boys.

However, no matter where or what he studied, his real learning came not by tuition but by intuition—not from any outer reading or lectures but from an inner knowing. At some point, a great revelation came to this seemingly ordinary youth. He may not have grasped it totally at first, but there came a time in his spiritual growth when he was aware of the extraordinary power within him.

This was the true beginning of The Age of Christ. At that moment, Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter's son, began his quest for Jesus, “the anointed One,” Jesus “the Christ.”

The Divine Role Model
When we study Jesus' life, we see a perfect example for us to follow. After all, was there ever anyone more spiritually centered? Was there ever anyone whose words and actions so exuded love? Was there ever anyone more at peace with himself and with his life than Jesus? That is why his life and teachings are the examples we can learn from in the quest for the transformation of our own lives.

Business students study the lives of great entrepreneurs so they can emulate their successful careers. Actors study other great actors to find more creative techniques. Writers read other great writers to improve their own writing skills. It is only natural that many on a spiritual quest turn to the study of Jesus' life and teachings.

Many of these people call themselves Christians, but the word Christian is not important. The objective is to reconnect with the divinity within—to find God. The divine relationship between us and God is the only thing that counts. Our ultimate purpose is to experience the presence of God daily. If we do that, then no matter what's going on in our lives, everything will be all right.

Reprinted from the Unity book The Quest by Richard and Mary-Alice Jafolla.

This article originally appeared in Unity Magazine.