Be the Light

As my Grandma Hazel aged she used to get so frustrated in restaurants as she struggled to read the menu, "Why is it SO dark in here! What's so terrible about light?" Being honest here, I'd usually roll my eyes (privately, of course) and think to myself, What is she talking about? The lighting is perfectly fine.

Well...NOW I get it. I often find myself grabbing my cell phone and flipping on the dang flashlight so I can read the menu, grumbling under my breath about the lack of light. And every time I do, I remember my impatience with Grandma and feel a little bit ashamed. 

These memories hit me a month or so ago as I was pondering how many times the Bible tells us to be...light.

So often I think of that phrase—be light—like some aura we're supposed to carry around. Like this mystical form of consciousness that's always emitting some character trait that drives others to want to know more about God; about Christ.

But maybe it's simpler than that. When you're trying to pick out what you want for dinner you have lots of choices; choices you can't really make when you can't see the menu. But if I'm sitting beside you, seeing you struggle, the least I can do is grab my cellphone and flip on the flashlight. I can shine light on those choices because I have the tool to do so.

As believers, we have the tools to shine light into the darkest choices people are dealing with. If we step up and utilize that tool, we may keep them from choosing the the salad that has "anchovies" hidden in the text. (BTW - that happened to me not long ago because I couldn't freaking see the menu!) Be the light. That's all. Don't let a sister order up a salad with dead fish on top.