A lighthouse stands upon a shoreline to be a beacon for all ships coming into a harbor. This beacon guides ships to safety that otherwise might have been destroyed by the rocks of the shoreline. This beacon also serves as a hope to those ships that are lost at sea. The light also refers to wisdom, compassion, and love. John 1:5 of the bible states that, "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (NIV). The light in this passage refers to Jesus who was trying to reach out to a world that did not understand and was looking for hope.