This Little Light

 “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?”      Mark 4:21 (NIV)

My first thought when reading this week’s questions is the old song “This little light of mind, I’m gonna let it shine…, you know the one I’m thinking about. But taking a closer look there is a much deeper conversation happening here, one that perhaps should cause us to pause and reflect.

Let’s dive in. Jesus had just finished telling the parable of the sower to a large crowd gathered on the shore. So large that Jesus was teaching from a boat just off shore. Jesus finishes by saying: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” (Mark 4:9). Jesus’ way of saying, “If you know, you know.” Later, when Jesus was alone with the disciples and a few others, they asked Him about the parables. I imagine them saying something like, “Why do you tell these hard to understand stories?”

Jesus’ response feels like a rebuke, a kind of “are you guys ever going to get it” response. He tells them that “the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to them…” (so they should understand) and for everyone else He tells these stories so that only those with the eyes to see and ears to hear will understand and also learn about the Kingdom of God. Jesus continues telling them that if they don’t understand this parable how will they understand the rest of them? Jesus explains the story to them. That’s where this little light comes in – well He asks the question about using a lamp anyway.

Basically, a lamp is meant to push back the darkness. Jesus, in John 8:12 says that, “I am the light of the world…” Jesus pushes back the darkness to reveal everything that is being hidden, that means the brokenness of humanity is called out into the light. It also means allowing those who believe in Him to see what is hidden from those who don’t believe and in so doing multiply His light.

Statistics indicate there are roughly two billion Christians in the world, which should mean that the light of Jesus is being multiplied by two billion. I feel like it would be really bright and there shouldn’t be any darkness and yet there is darkness, a darkness that feels like it is growing. I wonder how many believers are hiding their light?

Let me know your thoughts. Know someone who might be encouraged by this post – please share. I will be praying for you. Until next week – Let Jesus fill you completely with His light and then let that light shine in the world around you.