Ok, so I’m supposed to be in the bed and well on my way to being sleep. Shhh, don’t tell. I wish you all could see me right now. I am laying in my bed – yes under the covers. I’m perched so I can see the doorway and trying to type quickly and quietly so my dear husband in the other room doesn’t detect that I’m still awake. I tell you, I’m a mess! 🙂 I drive him bananas when I stay up later than I should. It’s not so much the staying up too late that gets him. It’s the whiny toddler I turn into the next morning when the alarm is about to go off and I don’t want to get out of bed.
Anywho… I just had to share something with you before I lay me down to sleep.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16, NASB
Sean and I try to walk/run together 3 – 4 afternoons a week. Those are the best times for a girl like me who abhors working out alone. It’s always nice to have someone to encourage me, challenge me and workout with me. Kinda like having my own personal trainer. One of the best parts of our workout time during the week (second best to the company, of course) is the conversation we have along the way. We talk about all kinds of things, and today was no exception.
Somewhere during today’s banter entered the above verses of scripture from the bible. Now I can’t talk much about them right now, because like I told you I’m possibly 10 to 20 minutes from trying to stuff this laptop underneath my pillow and pretend like I’m snoring. But tonight these verses are still burning on my heart so I just had to share them with you. Do me a favor, will you? Read them for me. If you are a Christian woman, think about what they mean to you, in your life today. If, by chance, you are not a Christian and some gusty blog wind blew you my way today, welcome. I’m glad you stopped by. I hope you’ll come back, because I’m going to come back later (when I’m not supposed to be in bed) and share my thoughts on these verses, along with a confession about how I’ve fallen short of them lately. Do we have a deal? I sure hope so.
Ok, I’m off to bed now. For real. By the time you get this I will have had a good night’s rest and I will NOT have aggravated my husband in the morning with self-inflicted, sleep deprived WHINING! Ask him. He’ll tell you.
P.S. You know I love to read what’s on your mind. So why don’t you get the party started by telling me what these verses speak to you today.
Good Morning Monica,
First of all, you are so funny… I can see you in your bed sneaking like some little kid. That’s a mess…
When I first read the scripture, I immediately thought about my run this morning in the fog. There was another lady running with me but, ahead of me. At times, her body would turn into a mere silhouette, only to disappear from my eyesight all together. During those moments, I had to say a prayer and trust that if I keep running I would eventually see her up ahead. It wasn’t until she turned around to stop and check on me, that I could see the head lamp she was wearing shining through the fog. Life is sometimes like that. There are times when you can’t see your way through and you feel like you’re alone. Then someone comes along with the spirit of God shinning through.
I remember hearing this song being sung at church as a little girl. Now that I’m older, the words ring true…
“Let your light shine, shine, shine.
Let your light shine, shine, shine.
Maybe (?) somebody down in the valley, trying to get home…”
I love life applications, Michelle, and this was a beautiful one. Your words made me reflect back to times in my life when I was in dark places and in desperate need of someone to come along and shine God’s light for me to see. Thank you for sharing this story.
As I’m reading it, visually I see a candle burning and then someone coming along and using one of those snuffer things to put it out. Then the question popped in my mind, “why are we so timid when it comes to letting our light shine?” Is it because we are truly thinking of self? For me, I believe that’s why. If we put aside ourselves and think about the witness that our “light” can be, we wouldn’t be so quick to keep it dim. Now when it comes to other people trying to stifle our light, that another story. 🙂
You posed a great question, Elisa. “Why are we so timid when it comes to letting our light shine?” I agree with you. I believe for me it’s also because I’m thinking of myself, of how it will impact me or what people will think of me. Where on earth would we be if Jesus thought the same way? Perish the thought. Thanks for sharing, Elisa!
I can totally relate to staying up later than I should because I just “have to get it done”, hoping I’m not caught either 🙂 I am not a morning person either, but the idea of going to bed earlier is hard!
We looked at a similar verse recently at church. Isaiah 60:1-3. What I took from that, and from yours is that we need to bring light to all we encounter, whether in deed or with words, or through God’s word. We should always strive to brighten someone else’s day, not dim it by focusing our own desires.
Deb, I love what you said about how our focus should always be to brighten someone else’s day and not to “dim it by focusing on our own desires.” That is so true. I believe when we’re in the thick of things we don’t always realize it’s our own selfish desires that often keeps us from shining the light of God’s love for others to see and feel. Your words should serve as a very good “note to self” for all of us.
I’m so glad you pushed your bedtime to share this with us all. What does it mean to let my light shine? I can shine bright to the world, but too often I snuff out my witness in tired, crabby moments at home. Of course we’re all human (fallen) but you’ve reminded me that “before men” also means “before your children” or “even when no one is looking.” Sleep well, my friend!
Becky, I’ll bet we all would agree we’re often guilty of not “shining” as brightly as we should before the ones we love. It’s the classic “taking for granted” we’re often guilty of. Like you said, we’re all “human,” but hopefully we’re striving daily to be brighter lights for Christ.