Who's Using Your Light?

My wife teaches at an elementary school for a county district. I teach at a similar school, but for the city district in the center of that county. I drop her off at her school on my way to work, since it is only about 15 minutes from my school, and not too much out of the way. Most of our route is on two-lane back country roads.

At one spot along the route, the road climbs over a gentle hill and turns slightly to the left at the top. A side road joins from the right at that point. And there is a rough spot in the road just as it starts back downhill. Since one's car is still climbing and not quite yet turned, the lights from the car don't delineate the rough spot very well. But I can usually pick it out well enough not to wake my wife as she catches a few last winks, since we both try to be at work by 7:00 a.m.

At that intersection, just where the road starts back downhill, there is a house with a five-globe light in the yard. It seems to be on almost all the time. But one day, it was not on. And I noticed that I could not pick out the rough spot in the road at all. I suddenly realized that all that time I had been using the light from the yard for navigation.

It is highly unlikely that the folks in that house leave the light on for the benefit of those traveling by on the road. In fact, they are probably unaware that their light even shines in such a way that it might be of help to others.

That experience got me to thinking about how a person should let their Christian light shine. How often have I helped others, being unaware that my light was being of service? On the other hand, how many times have others passed me by in darkness, struggling over rough spots because my light was not on and of no potential help?

It is my prayer that my light may be on continually. No doubt, there will be times that I know my light has been of benefit. But how many times, like the folks in that house on the corner, will I be - can I be - of benefit without my knowledge? The important thing is for my light to be on, not for me to know that people are noticing. May my actions and witness be Christian, not so I can be a Christian, but because I am a Christian. As Christ said, "Let your light so shine..."

God Bless!

Dr. G