This Little Light of Mine

***EXTRA EDITION of Not My Poetry***

Obvious, I didn’t write the following song.  (Sunday School teachers the world over are in sore debt to the one who did, as it ranks up there with the one about Zacchaeus and the sycamore…)

Anyway, I play this to make a point.  Plus, the bass vocals and djembe percussion are really cool:

Of course, if you prefer R&B…

And what’s the collection without an uptempo bluegrass version, right?  (Just imagine smoke coming from the banjo…)

Right.  So here’s a song that most people who have grown up in church (and many who have not, for that matter) could sing without much prompting.  A significant comment is found embedded, albeit not deeply, within this simple song.  John Eldredge puts it so clearly in his book, Waking the Dead. (Such a great title for the subject, BTW.)

God has placed within us a “glory”.  Another good teacher, Danny Silk, calls it our “song”. Or as my own pastor, Lawrence Wilson, says, “what did God have in mind when He thought you up?” 

That being the case, then why, WHY!??! do we insist on downplaying that talent/gift/calling/glory or whatever else we can call it in the name of….what?  Humility? That’s hogwash.  It’s not like we can take any credit for it anyway.

Or maybe we hide it because we’re afraid to stand out, as if shining our light will dim someone else’s.  Equal hogwash.  The more light we have, the better we can see.  And if it’s too much, God will provide the sunglasses.

Maybe we’re concerned that what we feel pulled to is really of no value, and if that’s the case, it probably means we’ve been told that somewhere along the line.  More hogwash.  If God put it there, and God doesn’t make mistakes, then He must have a purpose for it, and therefore, it’s needed.  

I love this story from the early church–Jesus has gone back to Heaven, and the Holy Spirit has made His promised installment.  Peter and John “happen” to come upon a man unable to walk, begging for alms at the entrance to the temple.  Now, another Sunday School song that many remember, (and we’ll use traditional church pipe organ this time.)

“Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” Those words were made immortal by this simple song, (second only by the Bible itself, that is), and the first words that most people probably think were said by the apostles to this lame man.

They were not.

The FIRST words Peter and John said upon meeting the man were:

 “Look at us!”

Seriously?  Isn’t that the very thing we are taught to avoid, in the name of “humility” (or humiliation)?  But here’s the rub: many times for us to redirect someone’s focus onto God their Creator, they first have to look at us, His creation!  And the really hilarious part is that God planned it that way!

Jesus even points this out in His prayer right before going to the cross:

“Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.” 

So, what glory, what gift/talent/passion/song is inside of you?

Why not follow Jesus’ lead, and let it shine!

Acts 3:4; John 17:1  Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.