Let your little light shine!
It seems that this time of year things happen very quickly. Recently we enjoyed trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving with our grandchildren. As long as I can remember one of the highlights of Halloween was the carving of the pumpkin. Through some Irish folklore, carved pumpkin was called a jack-o’-lantern. After the pumpkin is gutted and carved, a small candle is placed inside to illuminate the picture that has been carved on the outside. The darker the night the more the candle illuminates the picture.
It is said that our visual acuity extends far beyond the horizon. If you are standing on top of a mountain and the earth was flat, you would be looking at a larger than usual patch the earth’s surface. Under the circumstances you could perceive bright lights at hundreds of miles in the distance. When dark even a small light of a candle can be seen flickering up to 30 miles away.
The same can be said about people, and how their personalities shine among men. Have you ever noticed when a happy person enters a room the whole room lights up? It affects everyone around, even the air seems lighter and thinner and easier to breathe.
The Bible tells us that the light of the world is Jesus, and if he is in us his light will shine through us. In today’s political arena it is becoming harder and harder to see any light coming from our politicians. Romans 13:12 states: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
With the election behind us and Thanksgiving looming ahead it is important that we as Christians let our lights shine out into the world. This is done with acts of kindness, minding your manners, and minding our tongues. Ephesians 4:29: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Is what comes out of our mouths edifying to others? Can people tell us by our actions, speech, and apparel that we are Christians? We do not have to go around the world, beating people over the head with Bibles to teach them the love of Christ. We need to let the love and light of Jesus Christ shine through us by our actions and our deeds so he can through us give light to those in darkness.
As parents it is important that we watch what we say and how we act. We cannot expect our children to behave in a righteous manner if they see us behaving otherwise. They will learn more from us by our actions then from our lectures. You can’t just talk the talk, walk the walk. James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
We as authors can either defuse or inflame situations. Most of the major networks regurgitate news without verifying the source or its accuracy. Let us all rise above the status quo, speaking the truth, and being a light of honest journalism.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
I John 1:5-7
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Philippians 2:14-16