Posts Tagged "light in the darkness"

The Light That Shines

Posted by Pat Stewart on Aug 6, 2014 in My Blog, Think About This | 0 comments

Remember the sweet song, “This Little Light of Mine?”  I sang it as a child in Sunday school, Vacation Bible School and in childhood neighborhood play times.  During the Civil Rights movement, it was sung right along with “We Shall Overcome” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”  “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!” There are all sorts of ways that light shines on us as well as FROM us.  Praise God for that because just as a seed planted in the soil, light from the sun must shine for it to grow into what it was intended to become.  Think about that little seed…gently placed in the soil, most covered completely in the darkness, watered and then, we wait.  We wait to see that first glimpse of the frail, little seedling making its way through the darkness into the light where it will prosper.   We’re so much like that, aren’t we. So, following that analogy, what is the darkness from which we must burst into that precious light that will guide us, confirm us, and strengthen us?  Darkness has many forms, some scarier than others.  For some, it may be the darkness of the unknown…we do like to know what is coming and prepare ourselves.  But sometimes, we just can’t know and it is unsettling.  Other times, we may feel that we have been catapulted into darkness with a serious health diagnosis, financial crisis, relationship failure, job loss or the death of a loved one.  The darkness that is experienced so often by the people we meet we cannot see and, therefore, we do not recognize that that’s where they are at the time.  So how can we help? “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” Envision a very dark room for a moment.  Then, you strike a match and light just one candle.  The very second that match is struck light shines, it overcomes that darkness. There is a Buddhist Proverb:  “If you light a lamp for someone it will also brighten your path.”  That is so on target.  I’m sure that you have experienced this at many times in your life…you share your love and encouragement with someone and you reap the benefits as well. I love the part in the movie Blind Side where Sandra Bullock’s haughty friends said, “You sure are changing that boy’s life!” and Sandra responded, “NO, Michael is changing our lives!”  And then she left. Another quote I like is from Denis Waitley: “A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.” God uses us to reach out to others…sometimes we are aware that that is happening but many times I think we are clueless. Just be ready to light that lamp for someone else.  It can make a real difference for them as well as for ourselves. Peace and joy ~...