This Little Light of Mine

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5:14-16, NLT)

We have all heard this familiar saying of Jesus sung about in children's songs in Sunday School, preached about in evangelistic sermons, and used to admonish others, particularly our children.

But stop and ponder it for a few moments and see what it is saying to you.

If I walk around my house at night in the darkness, I bump into furniture and trip over shoes or toys that have not been put away as I stumble my way to the nearest light source, usually a lamp.

When I turn on the lamp, I can clearly see where I am going.

Jesus said that if we are His disciple, we are like a lamp that He has switched on so that His light can shine through us to show the way to those stumbling through life in darkness.

Jesus is our light source!

We emit the light that Jesus gives us by the way we live and the words we speak.

And by emitting light, we give direction and shine the truth on others.

The light song we learned in Sunday School as children has a profound biblical truth that calls us to action as messengers of the gospel.

So let this song be your prayer and plan of action for today: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"

"You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness" (Psalm 18:28, NLT).