Lights Shine Bright Everywhere We Go
Thanks, Toby Mac, for your great song: “Everywhere we go. Lights shine bright. Lights shine bright, everywhere we go.” It must be God’s message to us because this is my second day in a row to emphasize how important it is to let our lights shine.
I remember that timeless Sunday School song that went: “This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine! Hide it under a bushel – NO! I’m gonna let it shine! All over the neighborhood – I’m gonna let it shine! Won’t let Satan blow it out – I’m gonna let it shine.” It doesn’t take a news anchor to know that so many people in our world are living in darkness. That’s why letting our lights shine is so important. You and I might just be the LIGHTS that cause the darkness to flee — not so much by what we say….but what we do in spite of our own circumstances. They’re watching how we demonstrate God’s love, peace and joy — right in the middle of some of our darkest times.
The enemy uses daily circumstances and situations to try to douse our “light”. It may be a negative comment made to us or about us. It may be about all that TV and social media rancor. Or it is someone’s bad mood or a surprising situation like a flat tire or a computer crashing (like mine on Friday) or a negative medical report or any other bad news coming our way. The “stuff of life” wields its water hose that is filled with doubt, worry, and negativity at us. What may have started out as a fun water shower from a friendly water hose that hits our flame, but it soon becomes a super water blast that douses out our fire of energy, joy and enthusiasm. With all the negativity that surrounds us, it’s easy for our light to become nothing more than a little flicker.
The good news is, we have a choice to wring ourselves out from the onslaught of negativity that is coming our way. It takes a conscious effort to keep our “little lights” blazing! St. Paul reminds us, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8). That’s what the darkness needs. It needs lights to penetrate it. In spite of our circumstances and the darkness around us, it needs lights that conquer every opposing force to continue shining God’s light. We must keep in mind — the more we hang out with THE LIGHT, the brighter our lights will shine.
People will be thinking “How can they be so peaceful, full of joy and hope when I know they’re going through the stuff of life just like me?” Before long, they’ll get it. They’ll know it. And they’ll want it, too! “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.