Light of the World.

Matthew 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

By the way, happy August...now that we're three days into the new month! Where did July go anyway? August is the transition month for me as summer starts to end and the inevitability of school starting soon is all too real.

I'm a little bit beside myself as I write this post. I went to Tallahassee to visit FSU on Thursday and Friday. That part was great, however I took my mission trip devotion book up with me so I could base my posts on key points from that. Somehow I misplaced the book and so I'm stuck without telling you those last two. I don't remember the scripture or anything. I don't think it could have wandered off too far, but I still can't tell you some of the good things that were left to be mentioned from that book. Nonetheless, there is still more to be said about the mission trip experience and I can fill you in on that (maybe that's better).

You may remember from history class that today's scripture is the foundation and model that John Winthrop uses in his sermon in the 1600's...

While in Alabama I spent time with kids that I had never met before and bonded with them for a few hours. The same thing occurred in the nursing home. I talked to one woman for about an hour before leaving. It was hard to leave the kids and the elderly. After all, I just got to know some of them and I had to say goodbye and not only that but I will never see them again. It was impossible to leave them without shedding a few tears and sobbing in my heart. Once again I realized just how lucky I am to be in the conditions that I've been given.

As easy as it was to get to know these kids and adults, that's what God wants me (and you) to do all the time. It is always going to be easier in some cases more than others. The bottom line is that God still wants our light to be shining through people and in everything we do. Don't hide it! I love the metaphor of putting the lamp underneath the bowl. It's the truth. We hide our light way too often. If we just let it shine through us, many times we can see the light carry over to someone else. You may never know the full impact of your good needs. Just let your God-given light be shown to others!

"For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken... we shall be make a story and a by-word throughout the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God... We shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us til we be consumed out of the good land whither we are a-going." ~John Winthrop's dream that the New England community is turned into a "city upon a hill" that is watched by the world -- from his sermon entitled: "A Model of Christian Charity."

Although "This Little Light of Mine" may be a bit of a kid song, it's still something that all of us, no matter how old we are, should remember!



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.