This Little Light of Mine

“You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light and lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”  Matthew 5:14-15

Several years ago, I visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.  Carlsbad Cavern includes a large cave chamber, named the “Big Room.”  It is a natural limestone chamber that is almost 4000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 255 feet high at the highest point.  It is the seventh-largest cave chamber in the world.

To say it is an amazing site is an understatement.  The force of the water over time has decorated the cave in a seemingly endless array of spectacular formations.  Stalactites adorn the chambers of the cavern like draperies and chandeliers. Walking through this national treasure hidden beneath the ground is truly awe-inspiring.  Several times I found myself whispering, “Only God could do this.”

Perhaps the most memorable part of my tour happened while deep within the belly of the cave.  In the damp, moist center, the guide instructed us to stand still and not move.  I thought I had experienced darkness until they turned off the lights deep in that cave.  Since there is absolutely no light source, your eyes never adjust to the darkness – it just envelops everything.  It is impossible even to see your hand right in front of your face.  Any light at all goes a long way in that kind of darkness.

Jesus has appointed His followers to be the light source in this dark world.  The sources of light deep inside Carlsbad Cavern did us no good when they were present, but not turned on.  What good is light if it is not shining?  Christ intends for His people to share His light with, “everyone in the house.”  He hasn’t given us His light to keep for ourselves, but to shine and share with those enveloped in utter darkness…those with no light source of their own.

The world offers many counterfeit sources of light, but we know that Jesus is the only true light.  Only He can lead us from darkness to light.  To keep the truth of His salvation to ourselves is like having light and never turning it on.  If you have surrendered your life to Christ in faith, then you have His light.  The question is, are you shining it in the darkness?

Holy Father, thank You for giving me the light of Your Son. Please give me courage, boldness, and compassion to shine it everywhere I go, for everyone I meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.