This Little Light Of Mine…

This little light of mine…

I’m called to share a time when I found myself in a dark time. It was last year when I heard about the assassination of Charlie Kirk and I was completely dumbfounded. I hadn’t known much about the young man, hadn’t listened to many of his talks but the few I had listened to didn’t seem to be all that threatening or crazy. A bit blunt to say the least could have been the most of my reaction, but not too far off the mark about most things and certainly his trust in Jesus and his desire openly expressed to be remembered for ‘courage for my faith. That that would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.” was admirable to me.

And then the rhetoric that followed. It saddened me, discouraged me. There is so much hate and public condemnation of anything someone doesn’t agree with, no matter the subject or speaker. And the downward movement of civility and respect for another person, their beliefs and understanding. No civil discourse to try to understand. Just more cancellation of relationships, of people, family friends and neighbors. And the ever-increasing suggestion that violence, even elimination of a human being, was a possible answer. The best answer?

I was almost paralyzed, not capable of understanding how our great nation, good people, could get to this place. God and I talked a lot.

I asked how I could make a difference when no one seemed to want to hear a different point of understanding, a call to roll back the incitement to violence. How could my one small voice be heard? What was the point? My thoughts were dark, the desire to even consider making conversation about what I was feeling and thinking was dark and feeble.

Then God gave me the child’s tune ‘this little light of mine’! I could only recall the chorus so I Googled it. What a lovely piece of courage it offered in the lyrics –‘let it shine all the time, all around the neighborhood, hide it under a bushel? No!, let it shine all the time’. Written in the 1920 by a Harry Dixon Loes, it is still offering courage to me 100 plus years later.
I don’t have to be a claxon, blaring discordant sounds into the air. I don’t have to be a floodlight illuminating a broad area. I can be the little light, casting a gentle glow upon the world around me. The theme of the song comes from two scriptures (I didn’t know that!), one in Matthew 5:14-16, the parable of the lamp under a bushel:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a. bushel, but on a stand, and it give light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The other is Luke 11:33: “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel, but on a stand, that those who enter may see the light.”

I’m not sure what good works I may be offering, but I certainly want to offer courtesy, respect, a desire to understand my fellow sons and daughters of God. I may not always agree, even with the mundane of life, but I want to offer the opportunity to understand without judgement.

And lastly, another song pops up – ‘if everyone lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be’, Peter Yarrow, 1983. Will you light a candle and let it shine?

Blessings!