Thursday Thoughts

November 16, 2023

Since we have returned to Eastern Standard Time, it sure gets dark early. Before much longer, the sun will set before 5 PM. Long nights and short days are not my favorite time of year. I find soft candlelight or a bright fire in the fireplace on long nights brings comfort. I look forward to Winter Solstice on December 21, knowing that it is the shortest day of the year and the daylight hours will lengthen by a minute or two each day till June 21, when the darkness stays away until the earth can stay awake no more and a curtain closes for the night.

Unfortunately, our world is a dark place where people are hurting, oppressing, and savaging others and the environment that we are commanded to steward. The light to illumine that darkness is in our power to control, one person, one situation at a time. How can that be you ask? The light we have comes from within and it is not a flame from a cozy fire or a bright spotlight but it is the reflection of Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Spirit in our soul. His temple is our body. What kind of home are we providing for the Spirit of the Living God to live in? Are we humble and thankful, letting go of worries and putting our trust in Him? Are we being led by prayer and listening or do we have our own important agenda? Of course, I'm not talking about dropping everything, family responsibilities, marriages, jobs, relationships, and everyday life to live as a monk or a nun, cloistered away at a safe location. I mean how are we living our day-to-day lives that reflect Christ's light wherever we are and whatever responsibilities we have? Do our words, attitudes, actions, or inactions reflect that we have the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts?

When I was growing up and the electricity would go out in our house, my mother would bring out the oil lamps and light them so we could see in the dark. It didn't take long for the shade to get smokey, cutting off some of the light that the flame was producing. Each morning the shades would have to have a good cleaning before the lamp was used again.

We, like the lampshade, get covered in the soot of self-righteousness, guilt, selfishness, cultural and political whack-a-mole, you name it, and it clouds the lens of our reflective souls. Even when we are doing our best to shine brightly, we need cleaning daily. Prayer and meditation are good cleaners as are scriptures and self-examination.

I see so many lights shining in the world but there are more than enough dark vessels out there as well. What would happen if we made ourselves a promise to clean our light shade with vigor every day? Could we make a difference in someone's life? Sure we could. Without telling others that they are rather "dim" maybe an example of a light shining brightly for our Savior will be inspiring for them as well.

"You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand---shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."               Matthew 5:14-16 from The Message

Keep on shining!

Blessings,

Becky

Bridgewater UMC 

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