Several of my grandsons are playing what is termed “Fall Ball”. If you don’t know what that means; I’ll tell you. It means Little League Baseball in the fall as well as the spring. Two to three evening games a week.
But, ultimately, I’m okay with that. I’d much rather my grandsons be involved in organized sports and learning life skills that will serve them well than to be sitting at home mindlessly watching television or playing video games.
But what is troublesome is that daylight is growing noticeably shorter. And that means I find myself driving home in the dark. All of this now brings me to my point.
Earlier this week, after watching a game that began at 6:00 pm and ended at 7:30 pm, my wife got on the road around 7:45 pm, and then headed home. In the twenty to twenty-five minutes it took to get home, daylight gave way to dusk and them to darkness. And in that brief time, we encountered no less than three automobiles on the road being driven with no lights on!
As I pulled into my driveway, I thanked the Good Lord for getting us home safely. And I wondered if the poor people driving without their headlights on made it home safely.
You see, it often matters whether or not you let your light shine! Whenever your light should be shining and it doesn’t, it can have serious consequences – both for you and for the ones who need to see your light shining forth in the darkness!
What is true in the physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm. Jesus told all of us who purport to be His followers that we should let our light shine. His exact words are found in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 5, verse 16): “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The world is a dark place. Not just during the nighttime, when the sun does not shine in the sky. But also spiritually, when the Son of God and His radiance have been covered over by the forces of darkness. In such a context, the world needs light. Lots of it!
Jesus, Himself, claimed to be the Light of the world (in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 12), when He said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Given this, those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ clearly have an obligation to let our light shine forth in the midst of dark world. To do otherwise is not only to fail to meet eh expectation of our Lord and Savior, but also to fail to identify ourselves and our presence as one of His followers.
Even worse, to do otherwise is to fail to light the way for others! And Heaven help any follower of Jesus Christ who is given the opportunity to light the way for a non-believer, but chooses not to do so! To have the light and not to share it is, at best selfish, and at worst, malicious!
And so, my friend, if you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, then by all means, please, please turn your lights on!
SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/matthew/5-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/john/8-12.htm.
But, ultimately, I’m okay with that. I’d much rather my grandsons be involved in organized sports and learning life skills that will serve them well than to be sitting at home mindlessly watching television or playing video games.
But what is troublesome is that daylight is growing noticeably shorter. And that means I find myself driving home in the dark. All of this now brings me to my point.
Earlier this week, after watching a game that began at 6:00 pm and ended at 7:30 pm, my wife got on the road around 7:45 pm, and then headed home. In the twenty to twenty-five minutes it took to get home, daylight gave way to dusk and them to darkness. And in that brief time, we encountered no less than three automobiles on the road being driven with no lights on!
As I pulled into my driveway, I thanked the Good Lord for getting us home safely. And I wondered if the poor people driving without their headlights on made it home safely.
You see, it often matters whether or not you let your light shine! Whenever your light should be shining and it doesn’t, it can have serious consequences – both for you and for the ones who need to see your light shining forth in the darkness!
What is true in the physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm. Jesus told all of us who purport to be His followers that we should let our light shine. His exact words are found in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 5, verse 16): “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The world is a dark place. Not just during the nighttime, when the sun does not shine in the sky. But also spiritually, when the Son of God and His radiance have been covered over by the forces of darkness. In such a context, the world needs light. Lots of it!
Jesus, Himself, claimed to be the Light of the world (in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 12), when He said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Given this, those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ clearly have an obligation to let our light shine forth in the midst of dark world. To do otherwise is not only to fail to meet eh expectation of our Lord and Savior, but also to fail to identify ourselves and our presence as one of His followers.
Even worse, to do otherwise is to fail to light the way for others! And Heaven help any follower of Jesus Christ who is given the opportunity to light the way for a non-believer, but chooses not to do so! To have the light and not to share it is, at best selfish, and at worst, malicious!
And so, my friend, if you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, then by all means, please, please turn your lights on!
SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/matthew/5-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/john/8-12.htm.