Salt and Light Part 2
Mustard Seed Chronicles: Story Time with LU Grandma
In continuing this study on the words of Jesus, I came across these verses in Matthew 5:14-16 that say, “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
I got thinking about all the different things that we now use to give us light inside a building: candles, oil lamps, battery operated lanterns and flashlights, our phones, a fire in the fireplace, electric lights, and LEDs. And outside, we use these things, like: Mercury vapor, gas lights, solar lights, and campfires. In Jesus’ day, they did not have anything other than olive oil lamps and torches. Therefore, He used this example for the folks who were listening so that they may understand.
I learned a few things when Lynchburg had a surprise straight-line tornado called a Derecho. It threw all of Lynchburg and a lot of Virginia into total darkness for a couple of weeks. By God’s grace alone Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church were the only places in town with power! I learned that when it’s hot and windy, having candles lit in the house is not the best solution to light the darkness. They are hot, burn down to nothing and can be tipped over and maybe start a fire. We also had just a few batteries for flashlights and head lamps, and I had no oil for my oil lamp. Stores were closed so getting more of these supplies was out of the question. It had rained heavily so burning wood for a fire was out of the question, and it was 100 degrees besides!
Three days into it I happened to go out my back door at night and saw our solar light burning very brightly! I thought, DUH, Timi! We had several of them lighting our front sidewalk and a couple were spotlights to light the flag! I grabbed all but a couple, placed them in the rooms that needed lights and even brought in one of my potted flowers from outside and stuck a flood light in it so we could read and play games together dusk to dawn with safe, cool lighting!
God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, taught me that in our day, He wants us to be solar lights! We will be brilliant lights if we stay in the SON light through His Word and prayer, as that is what charges our Spirit battery. As He is eternal, we will never run out of fuel empowering us to shine even in the darkest of times. Some of us need a “battery” placed in our heart light because we have never had one at all. Some need to spend some extended time in the SON because their batteries are dead and in need of charging.
If our light is shining and we cover it with a metal pan, no one will ever see it. John 8:12 says, “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world if you follow Me you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life.’”
Prayer:
Father, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! Help us all to keep our “lights” charged and bright so we do not stumble on our way and can light the paths for others. We will praise You, LORD!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Meet the Author
Timi Plyter
“LU Grandma”
Lead Parent Advocate
