What Wattage is Your Light?
Let’s sing it together….one more time! “This little light of mine…I’m gonna’ let it shine!” What a great old song that we learned when we were kids. “This Little Light of Mine” is a gospel song that was written for children in the 1920s by Harry Loes. So, obviously, its message was as needed in the 1920s as it is now almost 100 years later in the 2020s. It was as dark in the 1920s with the stock market crashing. Prosperity had ended. The economic boom and the Jazz Age were over, and America began the period called the Great Depression.
And here we are in the almost 2020’s where our world is still filled with darkness and so many people choose to live there. Those lost souls may never find the light anywhere in the world except from you and me and the gospel (good news) that we live in front of them — not so much by what we say….but how we demonstrate God’s love in our actions to them. People are watching us. And it is our light that draws them in to ask: “Why is your life so peaceful and full of joy?” And we can boldly reply “It’s God’s love and light in us!” St. Paul reminds us, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8).
One of my friends took a college course in the study of lasers. She explained the fascinating course to me. “Light travels in straight lines. A laser produces light, but unless the laser light bounces off of something, you cannot see it. But you can see the beam if there is something in the air, like smoke, that the light can bounce off of. A fast-moving laser beam spot will not look like a spot at all, but like a line of light.” She went on: “There’s a big difference between candlelight and laser light, and there are a lot of different lights in between: incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, LED.” Now I see her as a “light” expert as she sounds so well-versed in light! She said, “Singing ‘This little light of mine, I’m gonna’ let it shine’ sure takes on a whole new meaning with those thoughts. Right?”
I had an aha moment about the variations of light that we should consider as LIGHT bearers. There are times when we need to let our light shine as a soft, calming, sensitive and tender candlelight to those around us. Other times, our wattage needs to be amped up boldly and brightly to bring about clarity and illumination so that those who see us, see the truth of God’s love and Word. Then there are times when we need the high beams of flood and spot lights — that dispel the darkness as we lift up He Who is the One deserving to be in the spotlight — after all HE IS THAT LIGHT.
I know I need to wisely discern which light wattage I should be using at any given time. My “little light” needs to be regulated in those moments so that it is Jesus’ light – not MY light that makes the difference in their lives — especially when sharing about Him. As I sing “This little light of mine, I’m gonna’ let it shine” — I’m considering: “Do I need to turn up the dimmer switch or turn it down?” Do I put away the harsh, cold light that is insensitive and makes others just want to stay away from my light? Those decisions are best accomplished by checking in with THE LIGHT SOURCE — He Who knows everything about everything will guide us and help us light the way for others to come to Him.
So, let’s “let it shine, let it shine….all the time”, being God’s light that dispels darkness in the faces and places that need His loving light the most. It’s about shining our lights for Him Whose light is bearable, lovable, healing, and draws people to Him. Shining Jesus to this world is the way to go and if people around us can’t handle it, then let’s give them some shades!