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"This little light of mine..."



Introduction to this letter from the son

"This little light of mine..."


It’s been pretty stormy around our parts lately. Clouds, clouds, clouds. Thunder upon thunder. Rain, rain, rain. Some days have barely the semblance of light eking through. Cindy and I were drinking our morning “brew” yesterday morning as the thunder rolled on, the lightning flashed and the heavy rain made its impression on our cooper chimney top. We both looked at each other and uttered all-most in unison, “Do we really have to enter further into this day. Can’t we just stay here and hunker down on the soft sofa?” A desire to stay “safe” is always compelling.


It's pretty dark out there! I’m talking now about our country and our world. What we use to measure as getting darker by the decade, year or month is being reduced to just days it seems. This week there has been an explosion of conflict, light battling darkness, the tug-of-war over the value of an unborn child.


“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 NIV


Let’s be honest, darkness hates light. Light reveals the truth of what darkness desperately tries to hide. This battle has been raging on this earth since the Garden debacle. The only change has been the speed of the dissemination of darkness (lies) due to technology. Oh, how I pine for the good ol’ days when there were only three channels and a set of rabbit ears! I would transport my kids there in a flash if I could. But I digress here.


“The issue is now clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his side.” G. K. Chesterton


Father has called us to be light. “You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14 NIV. What does that mean in our today’s culture, in our today’s families? In a world that is increasingly and quickly getting darker, to be a light most likely will mean conflict. Jesus was nailed to a cross because of this conflict. In our cities and towns, our jobs, in our schools, even in our families, conflict will be had. Forget staying safe and comfortable. Combating darkness is no small task or calling, it is not for the faint of faith.


In this letter to Pops I share the thoughts that entered my mind that particular day about being a “light.” I still agree with everything I said to him and if I really spent some additional time thinking on the subject, endless words could be written about this call to “walk in the light, as He is in the light..”



 

This letter was written on January 11, 2019


"This little light of mine..."


You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14


Hi Pops,


I have been chewing on this entry in my mind for the past hours. Let’s see where it goes.


All humans are a light to the world in some sense. We all illuminate or point to something by how we live our lives. Our daily “being” is always broadcasting something. Purposefully or by default, we each broadcast that particular philosophy or those principles that drive our individual lives. Look at anyone’s Instagram or Facebook page and you will see what they want you to know about themselves and what principles they operate by, you will see what drives them in life. They are shinning a light on their so-called version of what is important in life, their version of truth. They are being a light.


When I hired people for the stores, I would always have my mangers look at the candidate’s Instagram or Facebook page. A picture is worth a thousand words. The truth came out very quickly as to their “being” by a quick examination of their postings. They were illuminating their personal philosophy of life and their personal operating system to the world. Very enlightening!



Jesus words in Matthew 5 are very poignant for today’s living. Never before in history can one sole individual cast such a wide and far reaching beam of light than they can now. The Internet has transformed the power of the individual to be able to influence thousands, if not millions with their particular version of truth. I wonder if Jesus had a Facebook page what He would be posting? If He had a YouTube channel, what would we see? What would His light be illuminating? I think we already know. He’d be posting the very same thing He was posting (saying) to the crowds that followed Him, He’d be calling attention to the same conversations He had with the religious rulers of the day. Well, He’s not here to do that today, is He? At least not in a physical sense as he was. So how is He going to get His true “light” out? That is His call to us, His followers, to be His replacement light. (Not really though, for He lives inside us, so it really is His light)


“…let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus (Matthew 5:16 NIRV)


He is calling us to live as if we were an Instagram or Facebook page that has thousands of followers or friends, looking at our posts, day in, day out. What is our light illuminating today? What version of “truth” would our viewers see? This is not a page that can be turned on and off, it is being viewed by all, 24/7. These daily postings of ours are not curated, where we pick all the "right" pictures that show us in a "favorable" light, they actually tell the truth as to who we really are in "real-time." Taylor walked into the library just a moment ago to show me something, what was my "real-time" posting saying to him by my response to Him? What was my posting saying to him by my attitude and care (or lack of care)? What was my “light” illuminating to him?


We are being called to live differently than the world lives. "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 NIV. He wants our “light” to shine for all to see. This “light” of the Truth will compete with all the other lights out there that are illuminating the false “truths” of the world. The war was already won on the cross but there is a battle as to whose light will win particular smaller battles.


"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 NIV

So today, I need to walk closely with Him, I need to rest in Him, I need to put His oil in my lamp. My lamp can be as dim as anyone’s when I choose to do life on my own. It is only His oil that will allow me to shine, not just brightly, but cast a light that is so different (love) that all around can see the Truth. The Truth that Jesus is worth knowing and following, that He allows me to live with joy and peace while operating in this corrupted world. My light needs to shine on the hope that I have in Christ for an eternal future with Him through believing in His redemptive work.


What kind of light will my lamp shine with today? My choice, will it be the dim light of the world’s corrupt narrative on life or will my light of "truth" burn brighter with the oil of Christ in me because I have chosen to abide and rest in Him?



"The devil abhors light and truth because these remove the ground of his working." Watchman Nee

""We are not called to manifest Jesus in Heaven; we have to be light in the darkness and squalor of earth." Oswald Chambers


Love you Dad



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