We are the Lamp

Have you ever noticed the scar on my forehead? When I was two, I had an accident which caused this. A 12” television fell on my head. My aunt rushed me to the hospital. My parents were not home that time. The doctor told my aunt that it was a miracle that I was alive. For 13 years, I tried to hide with my bangs pulled down because I felt so insecure and un-pretty until I was left with no choice when I was 16 when I became a cadet officer. It was not so easy to show what I had been trying to hide for many years and people were not used to seeing it. After a while, I felt better that I did not worry about what people would say. I even enjoyed having different hairstyles almost every three months.

Have you ever had a point in your life when you tried to hide things that made you felt insecure? Have you had a moment when you just tried to let it go and you felt freer? Or have you tried coming out of your comfort zone without the fear of being criticized?

In our society, most of us hide in our comfort zones. We are afraid of what people may think about us or sometimes we are chickened out thinking we are too small to make a change. We may have experienced trying to reach out to someone and ended up discouraged. But God did not create us to hide, rather He created us for a purpose - to go out and make an impact.

Luke 11:33-36 says:

No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” 

A lamp makes the room brighter and makes us see well. It gives us a brighter view of what really lies ahead. Jesus is the light the world, but whoever follows him will have the light of life as well based on John 8:12. Should we share this light to others too, especially those who live in darkness and are lost?

What we learned on Sunday school or church service, small or discussion groups are worth nothing if we will not be able to share the good news and lead people to the way of salvation – or in a practical sense, practice them and be witnesses. Being a light is a big responsibility, a burden that every Christian should carry.

According to Mere Christianity by CS Lewis Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else. If Christ is the light of the world, if we are called little Christ, then let’s be a lamp that provides the light.

But how do we do this? How can we be a lamp that is not hidden in a drawer? One way is by building relationship and not focusing on ourselves. Another is by loving indiscriminately like what Pastor Greg said. A simple act of faith and act of love can bring light to others. God can keep the lamp burning - His grace fuels us when we keep our hearts and eyes fixed on him and our intentions grounded for his glory.

Imagine a world that is so bright because many people decided to come out and not hide the light God gave them despite our imperfections. Wouldn’t it be amazing? Don’t hide, share the light, be the God’s lamp.