This Little Light of Mine

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

 –1 John 1:5

I love stained glass.  Actually I love any kind of mosaic art, but there’s something particularly captivating about stained glass.  Something incredible happens when stained glass is placed so that the light can shine through it.  It has a certain beauty on its own, but when it is illumined by light, it glows.  The light enhances the beauty of the glass.  In the same way, when we live in relationship with God, it allows His light to shine through us and enhance the beauty He created in us.  God is the one that makes us beautiful in character, demeanor, behavior and thought, because as we spend time with Him He transforms us to be more like Him.  God is love and love in its purest form can be incredibly beautiful.  That’s the face of God that people are drawn to and it’s His loving presence that heals and restores them.  The more we allow God to shape and transform us, the brighter His love shines through us and touches the people we encounter.  I think it’s important not to minimize the value of simply being loving people.   We may never know what kind of impact a loving gesture, word, smile or hug has on the people God places in our path.  God’s love isn’t just a feel-good love, it is a healing, transforming, and life-changing love.

Ever notice in some churches how the stained glass windows each depict a story from the Bible?  How might God’s light enhance the story He wants to tell through us?  What particular person or group of people does God want to reach by shining His light in the unique way it shines through you?  What if that story just wouldn’t have the same impact if God was using anyone else to tell it?  Whatever your situation, don’t underestimate God’s ability to shine through you in powerful ways.  We don’t have to be behind the pulpit to tell God’s story, we just have to be available and willing!