Let Your Light Shine

            I have a friend who is a self-proclaimed “eternal pessimist.”   She growls at the world through dark glasses.  She grumbles, murmurs and chooses to look at people through the darkest part of the tunnel, certain she’s destined to be required energy she does not have, kindness she does not feel, display warmth when all she feels is cold, and positivity when all she can muster is negativity.  This is such a sad place to be.  What energy this perspective must require!  I can’t even imagine!

            Our world has become a ‘crooked and twisted’ place.  People are consumed with ‘self,’ greed, hate, deception, cruelty and so much negativity it’s difficult some days to see anything good!  As much as I’d like to stay ‘informed’ of the “goings on” around our world, or in our country, state, or even my community, I often choose to not read the news.  

            I was reading a book the other day that called news “gossip.”  I nearly flinched at the idea!  How could that be?  But often when news is reported it’s usually the dark side of a situation, and that makes sense in a perverted kind of way.  Most people are more interested in who kills who, who said what negative thing about another, how a storm wrecked havoc on an area, etc.  Granted knowing sometimes is helpful because in the case of storm damage, fire or other ‘emergency’ we can help.   But how many times have you been drawn to something awful because it’s just that: awful!?”

            The movies and video games much of the population is drawn to are horror, or at the very least, violent.  We’ve created ‘super-heroes’ to thwart the bad guy.  It’s a dark and scary place!

            Christ came to be the “Light of the World.”  As Believers in Christ, we are to be the beacon of that Light, even if it seems like we stand alone as a single candle.  Think about the time the electric goes out during a storm and you must light the room with a candle.  It’s amazing how much light radiates through that one candle.  The more candles, the more light.

            Satan can’t thrive in the reflection of this light. Yet, satan is thriving in our world. Darkness reigns.  Isn’t that a clue that as Believers we are not doing enough?  Are we so caught up in the world around us, perhaps not even deliberately, that our light is so tiny, it’s barely a spark, sputtering, fighting desperately to stay lit at all? 

            It takes effort to be the ‘light’ that illuminates a room.  The wind blows, trying with all it’s might to snuff out the light.  It requires time with The Father, Son and Holy Spirit that will keep your candle light, lit that can shine even when the wind howls and darkness threatens to overtake.  

            I encourage you to dig deep into the scriptures this week.  Ask yourself “how bright is my candle – my light?" Do others see me as someone who reflects the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, or do they see darkness and negativity?