Do you enjoy candles? I love them. I like having scented candles in my kitchen and family room. While I don’t use them to provide light, the fragrance is nice and helps provide an inviting feeling to the room.
The last time I was in Ghana on a mission trip, I developed a new appreciation for candles. We had just arrived at the mission house of the orphanage we were visiting and we shared a wonderful dinner. Everyone was getting up to go unpack before bed and the power went off. Dark took on a whole new meaning. I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. I was afraid to move for fear of running into someone or knocking something over. Our host quickly lit some candles and we were able to find our way around, unpack and even get ready for bed. It made me think about how life must have been for the early Americans.
The candle light in my kitchen didn’t have a huge impact. In fact, it went unnoticed because of the overhead lights. However, the candle light in the darkness of Africa was bright and made a major impact. It is very easy to be a bold Christian and let our light shine when we are among other believers. When we shine your light among a bunch of other lights, it blends in. When you shine your light in the darkness, it stands out.
2 Corinthians 4:6 says “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Matthew 5:16 challenges us to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
You may say to yourself “What good will the light of one person do in a world of darkness?” I challenge you to go in a room so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face and then light a candle. It makes a profound impact.
It is time to take your light out of the bright light of the Body of Christ and take it into a dark world. In John 8:12 Jesus calls Himself the light of the world and then in Matthew 5:14 He calls us the light of the world. When we go out into the world to share the love of the Lord, we never go alone. We carry with us the brightness of the Morning Star [2 Peter 1:19]. It’s time to shine!