You are light.
When you were a kid, did you ever sing the song “This little light of mine”? I even remember the hand motions from Vacation Bible School. You’d put your finger up and wiggle it back and forth – a tiny representation of your “light”. There was even a dramatic attempt to keep your finger light shining when Satan tried to blow it out in verse three.
I didn’t know then what this “light” meant. I didn’t know it was something present in all of us, something that God gave us. I didn’t know it was a unique and special light either. God created millions of lights and the world is dimmer if any one of those lights gets blown out or turned off or fades to a thin line of smoke.
I was reminded recently of this quote by Greg Boyle regarding our lights. He wrote:
“Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.” I like even more what Jesus doesn’t say. He does not say, “One day, if you are more perfect and try really hard, you’ll be light.” He doesn’t say, “If you play by the rules, cross your T’s and dot your I’s, then maybe you’ll become light.” No. He says, straight out, “You are light.” It is the truth of who you are, waiting only for you to discover it. So, for God’s sake, don’t move. No need to contort yourself to be anything other than who you are.”
It’s not just that you have a light inside of you or a light hanging out on your little finger…
it’s that YOU are light. Your whole being from head to toe.
I am light.
You are light.
My prayer this morning is that we learn to believe in the truth of these three simple words, and may we live into them by working to light up the darkness surrounding us today.
(By the way, This Little Light of Mine has a rich and storied history. It was turned into a spiritual and an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. Check it out if you haven’t looked up this song in awhile.)
