Lighting Up the World Around Me by Patty Tichonoff
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:15-16
There are days when the glow within me is barely has a flicker. Whether it is self-pity, harsh words from a friend, or just the media trying to snuff out my light, my brightness lacks.
These past few weeks have been hard and while I know to pray, to reflect, and change my course, there are days I let my self-pity and disappointments spread. Why? Because my sin nature wants family or friends to tell me that I am justified in wanting to hurt others the way they hurt or misjudged me.
I know this is not how I am supposed to act but at times I think it feeds and fools the inner anger (my sin) into thinking I will be satisfied. However, the opposite happens. I start to feel the guilt and notice that I don’t like the person I am becoming. I, like most of us, don’t care to be around someone who continually feeds off the negative. Negative talk is dangerous and can snuff out our experience of God’s love for us. It takes us down paths that are dark and lonely.
Christ talks about the light within us. We read in Mark 4: 24: Consider carefully what you hear, With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more. The way we give to others is the way God gives to us, but He gives us more grace and mercy than we deserve.
In closing, who benefits from negative talk? Certainly not me! I am guilty of it at times and truth be told, I don’t like even being around me! I want my light to shine brightly. So, how do I make that happen? As a child I was taught if ever on fire to stop, drop and roll. For spiritual fires why not remember to STOP, BOW AND PRAY!
Father, anger is destructive to our hearts. It closes off our relationships with others and lets the darkness permeate through us and eventually destroys us. Thank You for Your light through Your Son, Jesus, who will never let us stay in the world’s shadows. AMEN.
Photo: Tales from the Glen