This Little Light of Mine

                                                                                                                                    

Aloha Dearest Family,

There's a commercial that is being shown on TV where everyday people, facing life's troubles, are singing the old Christian hymn "This Little Light of Mine". The point of the commercial seems to suggest that when life seems hard or unfair, we are to dig deep inside to our "inner light" and let others see your strength. The question I would like to put forth to you is this, "Is there truly a light born within all of us?" Some religions even teach that each of us is born with a little spark of the divine within us and all we have to do is "nurture" this spark and then we will be truly enlightened. How true is this belief? What does the Bible say about this?

Let us start with Ephesians chapter two, 

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened (made us alive) us together with Christ,(by grace ye are saved;)." (Ephesians 2:4 and 5) 

Each one of us was "born" in trespasses and sins. This is because we all come from the line of Adam. Because of his disobedience all of mankind are born with his nature, a sinful nature. That is why it says that we were dead in sins. A dead man cannot help himself. A dead man has no life or light in him. It took God, who was rich in mercy, to rescue us from our sorry, lifeless state. Romans 3 states that none of us, by own goodness, are righteous before God,

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3: 10-12) 

It is glaringly obvious from the Word of God that we have no "light" born within ourselves. This is man's idea. This is man's struggle in trying to make himself into something that he is not.

 When we chose Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, God and His son came to dwell within each of us. We "now" have a light within us. In fact God calls us the "children of light",

 "For ye were sometimes (at one time) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Ephesians 5:8) 

It doesn't say that we were in darkness, it says that we were darkness. But now we are light in the Lord. We wouldn't have any light at all if it weren't for the one who dwells inside of us.

We can see this bigger when we look at the day God placed the sun and the moon in the sky,

"And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day (the sun), and the lesser light to rule the night (the moon): he made the stars also." (Genesis 1:16) 

The interesting thing about this verse is that the moon has no actual light of itself. The minerals that are abundant on the moon reflect the sun's light and the moon appears to shine. Just like the moon, we have no light within ourselves. The light that we shine forth comes from God. This light is made manifest when God's Words are spoken to others. When we tell others about Him, we reflect His magnificent brilliance which makes us shine.

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.." (Philippians 2:15 and 16a) 

These are some of the good works that God wants us to do. When we shine as lights people can come to know God and will then give Him thanks.

Only the Word of God spoken on the lips of believers can ever cut through the darkness that surrounds people. It is a beacon of hope to a dying world. This light is the "only" thing that will truly rescue people today. This is what was meant by the words "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." One thing we need to understand is that "light always dispels darkness." The smallest candle can dispel any darkness that surrounds it. No matter how dark the room may be, the darkness cannot extinguish that flame. We are this flame. We are the children of light with God and His son dwelling within us and we reflect God's magnificent light. So "Let it shine, let it shine; let shine." 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Love Always, Ray