This Little Light of Mine

Our Sunday School class is going through some restructuring. We're working toward a division of responsibilities that will allow the women in our group to minister through their giftings. We have 2 main goals for this restructuring. We want to make sure that the women in our group are well cared for, that no one disappears without being noticed and that no needs fall between the cracks. Our second goal is to begin drawing women that exist in our spheres of influence into relationship with our class and ultimately into relationship with Jesus.

There's only one small problem. In the "job descriptions" for the new class positions, the word "evangelism" keeps appearing. That's a word that's daunting to most of us. As children we'd sing the words of the familiar song loudly,

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Hide it under a bushel--NO!--I'm going to let it shine

And you can probably sing the rest. It's a children's song based on scripture from Matthew 5:14-16 that says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

As an adult, I so long to sing that song loudly and with gusto, but I know that sometimes I have hidden my light. It may look differently to those around me. I write and I speak about Jesus all the time. The truth is, though, that those activities are often "preaching to the choir". When it comes to setting Jesus' light in my life on a stand at the bus stop with the neighborhood moms, or at dinner with my friends that don't attend church or at work as I visit newcomers to Holly Springs, I confess that I sometimes fall far short of letting it SHINE. There are lots of reasons--fear, gaining the label of "closed-minded", losing general acceptance...

I love Jesus more than anything, though, and I want to address this shortcoming in my life. He is precious. He is worthy, and He is The Answer for everything that my friends are looking for even if they haven't recognized it yet. I want to throw care for my own reputation to the wind, but I would love some day for it to be said of me as Paul said to the Thessalonians in I Thess. 1:7, "And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere...."

My next few posts will be dealing with the issue of evangelism. Will you join me in this journey toward boldly SHINING in our world? If you read this post, I'd love for you to write a prayer for a person that you want to share Jesus with. I'll start with my own, and I'd love for you to join me.