This Little Light of Mine
Sigh. I get so tired of my "American-ness" when I read Scripture because I read everything through that lens. I bring my already formed understanding to the Scripture and interpret it that way. Recently, while visiting the Museum of the Bible, the Lord showed me an area where that needed to change.
We were walking through the Nazareth Village exhibit and ducked into one of the homes. Inside was set-up to replicate a home back in Jesus' day. There was a small kitchen area, and some dishes, and a bunch of oil lamps. Why were there so many? Because they put out such little light. As I stood there and pondered these small lamps, I realized how dark the room really was and how the only "bright" part of the room was the area immediately around the lamp.
Hmmmm....
When Jesus taught Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world" I read my American understanding of light into that verse and think LED, or fluorescent, or 120-watt massive light, but that's not what He was speaking of. The lights in His time were small and emitted very little light in comparison to our light bulbs and even some of our night lights! So what is so important about having the right view of light?
First, we are called to shine around those whom the Lord has placed you around. How are we doing with that? Your little light isn't meant to illuminate a room by itself, it is meant to illuminate the area directly around it. Are those the Lord has brought into your life affected by your light? Does your life shine?
Secondly, and this ties into the second part of Matthew 5:14, one light is not necessarily supposed to illuminate an entire area. We need each other. We need other Christians. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Why? Because it's full of lights and that collective light does shine brightly. But that's a collective group, not a single person. When we are together, in worship, we cannot be hidden! But that is collective, not individual. Often we view ministry from our American mindset of "go big or go home" as if your not influencing a large number of people you're not useful for the Kingdom. That is not the mentality we see with God. Jesus poured His life into 12 men and often thinned the crowd following Him. Those 12 little lights turned the world upside down as they influenced those directly around them, who caught the flame, and illuminated others around them and so it keeps on going.
Thinking that one person is supposed to be the LED means that our light doesn't matter and we can disobey the command to be the Salt and Light. We need to bring this biblical understanding of light into our mind and be purposeful in the relationships we have. Who has the Lord placed around you? It is not accidental. I'm convinced that the soccer team my boys play on is for the illumination of others for Christ. The neighbors I have are in my life so I can shine my little light of Christ for them. God is very much in the details and concerned for the souls of everyone, so He has placed these little lights all around.
The question is, will you shine? Or will you hide?
We were walking through the Nazareth Village exhibit and ducked into one of the homes. Inside was set-up to replicate a home back in Jesus' day. There was a small kitchen area, and some dishes, and a bunch of oil lamps. Why were there so many? Because they put out such little light. As I stood there and pondered these small lamps, I realized how dark the room really was and how the only "bright" part of the room was the area immediately around the lamp.
Hmmmm....
When Jesus taught Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world" I read my American understanding of light into that verse and think LED, or fluorescent, or 120-watt massive light, but that's not what He was speaking of. The lights in His time were small and emitted very little light in comparison to our light bulbs and even some of our night lights! So what is so important about having the right view of light?
First, we are called to shine around those whom the Lord has placed you around. How are we doing with that? Your little light isn't meant to illuminate a room by itself, it is meant to illuminate the area directly around it. Are those the Lord has brought into your life affected by your light? Does your life shine?
Secondly, and this ties into the second part of Matthew 5:14, one light is not necessarily supposed to illuminate an entire area. We need each other. We need other Christians. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Why? Because it's full of lights and that collective light does shine brightly. But that's a collective group, not a single person. When we are together, in worship, we cannot be hidden! But that is collective, not individual. Often we view ministry from our American mindset of "go big or go home" as if your not influencing a large number of people you're not useful for the Kingdom. That is not the mentality we see with God. Jesus poured His life into 12 men and often thinned the crowd following Him. Those 12 little lights turned the world upside down as they influenced those directly around them, who caught the flame, and illuminated others around them and so it keeps on going.
Thinking that one person is supposed to be the LED means that our light doesn't matter and we can disobey the command to be the Salt and Light. We need to bring this biblical understanding of light into our mind and be purposeful in the relationships we have. Who has the Lord placed around you? It is not accidental. I'm convinced that the soccer team my boys play on is for the illumination of others for Christ. The neighbors I have are in my life so I can shine my little light of Christ for them. God is very much in the details and concerned for the souls of everyone, so He has placed these little lights all around.
The question is, will you shine? Or will you hide?