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A Candle in the Window By Aimee Zahora As a candle shines through darkness can our lives do the same? Here's how.
There are two ways of spreading light: few miles down the road from me is a beautiful Victorian house that I love to drive by on my way to the little town of Zionsville. The house is soft teal in color with a creamy beige trim. A wraparound porch decorates both the upper and lower levels of the house. The porch on the first level has a wicker swing and matching wicker chairs to relax in. All these details contribute to making the house memorable, but the most remarkable part of the house is the windows--not the actual windows themselves, but what can be seen through them. Each window of the house has a single lit candle shining in it. I can see the candles whether I drive by the house during the day or night. These candles exude a feeling of warmth and joy as they effortlessly illuminate the large home. When the rest of the house is completely dark, the candles transform what could be an empty, lonely atmosphere into one of peace and comfort. No matter how hurried I am, this house never fails to draw my attention as I pass by. As I reflect upon the candles in the windows of the Victorian house, I am reminded of Christ's instruction in Matthew 5:16 to let our light shine. What exactly does this instruction entail? What, specifically, can we do to shine? Let's take a closer look at the candle. In a well-lit room, a little candle is just that--little. In fact, it's so small, that we can almost do without it. However, consider how the candle looks when the room is dark. Set against darkness, the light from a candle becomes important. When it is the only source of light, a candle tends to draw our attention. It also provides warmth or comfort when we are close to it, and amidst darkness, light serves as a source of hope. Before we look at how to let our light shine, it is important to identify our source of light. In John 8:12 Christ says, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." Earlier in this gospel we learn that John the Baptist came "to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe" (John 1:7). The next verse clearly defines the light, "He [speaking of John] was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light" (John 1:8). The light then is Jesus Christ. Once our source of light is in mind, our task to let our light shine becomes evident. The light that is reflected from the candle can serve as a metaphor for our Christian duty. Like the candlelight, we have the opportunity to draw attention to Jesus Christ and His way of life by setting a positive example. Christ encourages us saying, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). We can set this positive example by ensuring that our day-to-day actions support, rather than diminish, the beliefs we say we adhere to. We've all heard the well-known cliche that actions speak louder than words, and they really do. What people see has a greater impact on them compared with what they hear. People need to see that we treat our family and our friends with kindness, showing respect to those we interact with on a daily basis. Seeing this positive light is so much more effective than simply professing this to be a belief that we value. Though there is a time and place for explaining our beliefs, seeing our beliefs as a tangible action is what will draw people to our metaphorical candle. Once people are attracted to our candlelight, they should be able to feel warmth and comfort the closer they come to us. In a world of darkness, there are a great number of people who are confused and disillusioned. Paul tells us that in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation we need to shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15). We can project the warmth and comfort of our candle by not being confrontational, and by respecting the choices and decisions of others though they may directly oppose our own. Though it may be tempting to immediately begin a thoroughly organized, proof-filled discussion of the logic behind our beliefs, such a discussion may initially smother an individual. As Luke 8:16 instructs, we should not hide our light from anyone. At the same time, our approach should be balanced so that those with whom we interact are left feeling warmed rather than burned. In addition to being an instrument that brings warmth and comfort, our candlelight should provide hope to those who come in contact with us. As one who offers hope, we can "give light to those who sit in darkness" (Luke 1:79). Those people who offer hope are easy to spot. They are the ones who have a positive outlook on life despite the misfortunes that they experience. They are the ones who have a purpose in life, and are not discouraged by the sordid events that appear in the news around us. They are the ones who make us feel stronger and better after being in their company for a few moments. These are the attributes we should internalize as we endeavor to be like Jesus Christ. We, as Christians, can strive toward the metaphorical candle by remembering its purpose to attract attention to Christ and His way of life, to offer warmth and comfort, and to serve as a source of hope. When we see a candle shining brightly in a window, remember the effect it has on us. We can mirror that image by striving to follow Christ's lead. If we allow Him to shine through us, we will reflect His light. Copyright 1999 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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