Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others,..."
Jesus, Matthew 5:14-16
Most every morning when I first get up, I light a candle, for it reminds me that Jesus is the light of my life, and I let it burn during the time I spend with Him reading the Bible and praying. Well, the other day as I lit the candle, which was in a small glass cup, I noticed its rays of light shining through the glass and onto the doily beneath it. Suddenly, it struck me that just as the light of the candle doesn’t stay inside the cup, the light of Jesus doesn’t stay inside of Him, but it shines out through the lives of those who know and love Him.
That thought stayed with me throughout the day, and as I went to get my nails done later that afternoon, I wondered how the light of Jesus could shine through me in the nail salon. For, as you may know in most nail salons that have popped up in recent years, there is a language barrier. Most of the manicurists speak very little English, thus it's difficult, if not impossible, to have an in depth conversation. But I was determined. So that day, after greeting the workers and putting my feet in the warm water, I began to pray for each worker, silently of course, asking God to make Himself known and letting them see the ray of the light of Jesus shining through my life.
When I finished praying, my thoughts turned to my 20-year old granddaughter who is on the other side of the world shining the light of Jesus through her life to people who are not much different from the workers at the nail salon. For they also speak very little English and practice religions that have nothing to do with the living God. In fact, just the other evening she and I had a telephone conversation in which we discussed this very issue. How do we let our lights shine when communication is so difficult?
Oh, we can pray and that’s a very good thing, but more than that we can shine the light of Jesus simply by who we are—the peace on our faces, the joy that radiates from within, the love expressed by a touch, a kind thank-you, even a cherry hello and goodbye.
The light of Jesus, you see, is not limited to conversation!
Blessings,
Judy Rose Grubaugh
P.S. This is a photo of my granddaughter! Bless her for letting her light shine on the other side of the world!