Perhaps there was nothing more that Jesus disliked than indifference. Especially to the way we live our life. As Jesus preached along the shore of Galilee He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Now many would take a look at this parable as a riddle and try to find some type of secret meaning somewhere. For us, it simply means that God has given us life, and that life has meaning. We were designed to glorify God with our lives not hide them from the view of others. As Christians, Jesus places within us the power of the Holy Spirit. He does not put it there for us to hide it. He does not put it there for us to deny it. He puts it there for us to shine it, to bring him glory and honor.
Perhaps the greatest way we can shine our light is through verbal witness. Simply, telling someone about the greatest change that they can ever make in their life is in their lifestyle. People need to know that this life that they are born with is not the final reality. It is a gateway to eternity that God gives us when we are born again and actually start living.
This principle can be demonstrated by people like Chuck Colson. One man who gave his life to Christ and allowed God to use him and shine his light in a very special way. We all know the name Chuck Colson from the Watergate scandal. But the story of his imprisonment is equally as notorious for Jesus. The story begins on the day Colson was released from prison.
One day, shortly before leaving prison, Colson was going about his business in the prison dorm while some inmates played cards. Suddenly, one of the players, a six-foot-tall prisoner named Archie, bellowed, "Hey, Colson. You'll be out of here soon. What are you going to do for us?" Suddenly, the whole room fell silent. All ears were straining to hear the answer. "I'll help in some way," replied Colson. "I'll never forget you guys or this stinking place." "Bull!" roared Archie, slamming down the pack of cards on the table. "You all say that. I've seen big shots like you come and go. They all say the same things while they're inside. Then they get out and forget us fast. There ain't nobody cares about us. Nobody!" But today, 35 years later, thousands upon thousands of Christian volunteers and churches do care. They care enough to visit prison, mentor prisoners, help their families, and share the Good News of Christ with them. That's because in 1976, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, which, together with churches of all confessions and denominations, has become the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families, with ministry taking place in 113 countries around the globe.
Can you imagine taking great tragedy and making it glorious and impactful for all of eternity.
What do you have in your lamp? Where are you placing it? Are you hiding it or shining it? Jesus concludes his discourse with these words: “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
Let's go and be a shining light today!
Blessings,
Pastor Vince
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