Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Being the Light of Christ

“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?" Mark 4:21

All of us put our light under a bushel basket from time to time, and while it is understandable, it hurts others, especially those close to us. Just as important it hurts us. When are hide our light we let nothing and no one in, and we pay for it. While we can hear others on the most superficial of levels, it is almost impossible to respond to friends and family with compassion and understanding. Because  we are so wrapped up in our struggles, we ignore the needs of everyone around us.

The prophets knew this well, and it is the reason they regularly resisted God's call to announce good news and remind people to listen to God. When no one is listening, it is very difficult to keep speaking, yet that is what God demands of us. Because we never know when someone's heart will open to the light, we must continue to live and proclaim the Gospel. It does not matter if we anyone notices. It is not about our success. It is about being faithful to God as God is faithful to us.

It often surprises us, especially after a period of darkness, that God never stopped being present to us and urging us to transformation. Neither do our closest friends abandon us when we fail to respond to them.  When the light of Christ does shine again, it is good to remember, especially when friends fail to respond to us, that their hearts might be dark for a little while, and our only task is to wait with patience as God waits for us.

Today, ask God to help you be a light in the darkness.

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