Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
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I am looking for input on this - how do we let our light shine? I ask this because I would like to let my light shine, but I have a feeling it doesn't. No one around me knows my relationship with God, how he helps me with big things and little things, I have prayer time and church time (and am lacking on the Bible study time) but it's all like my little secret.
When I think of who I know or see at church whose light is shining, I think of the Pastor, several of the leaders, they are naturally more visible. I guess what "shines" most from them is when they share something they are praying about, or experiences.
I tend to keep quiet about my thoughts and experiences, (well except for this blog). People in a group setting are usually not at a point where there is no one itching to speak, so I take a back seat and contribute little. Maybe that is not the place to shine, when I'm in the midst of other candles. But no that is wrong too. seeing more people "shining" will add inspiration and will help others to catch the flame too. The more lights shining the better.
Others who come to mind when I ask myself "who do I know that is letting their light shine" - are the friendly people who make a point to greet you at a gathering, come up all smiles and say something friendly, remember your name (usually they surprise me if they know my name and of course I don't know theirs, so I feel a tad awkward but then try to discover their name without letting on), and they give your shoulder a friendly squeeze or offer a handshake. They may not say a single religious thing but they seem all aglow and I'd have to say their light is shining bright.
Of course to let your light shine you have to have a light. I do have a light, I just want to know in what ways I can let it shine.
And maybe my light shines and I don't know. Still I'd like to hear from anyone else who may chance accross this blog if they have any ideas of how to let our light shine :)
Monday, December 18, 2006
Sunday, December 3, 2006
You me and everyone we know
Consider these:
To God "one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day." (2 Pet 3:8) and "love one another as yourself" (Romans 13:8-10) and "As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40).
What if these clues show God can time travel, but what's more we are all the same being. You and I are the same person, just taking different trips through the present. You know the old idea of a time traveller going back in time and meeting himself. well what if when going back you were a different person each time.
I don't propose that this is actually how things work, but it makes a great what-if. Now that really adds new meaning to "love your neighbor as yourself" because that "neighbor" may very well BE your own self, taking a different trip through the present. So next time you see one of your other selves in need, stop, pitch in, help out. You want, even expect, your other selves to help you out if it was you stuck in a jam, right?
And don't be afraid to share the gospel with your other self either. They may not have heard it yet. There is really no reason to be afraid of your own self now is there. You would want to have the gospel shared to you, if you had not gotten that chance yet, right?
Play with the idea a bit, it helps conceptualize how far we should be willing to go. When to lend a hand and when to use "tough love".
Then realize that through Christ we are all one body. Not through time travel, but by God's circle of love that draws us all within. I still like thinking of it using the time travel analogy; it really gives you a clear perspective of things.
To God "one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day." (2 Pet 3:8) and "love one another as yourself" (Romans 13:8-10) and "As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40).
What if these clues show God can time travel, but what's more we are all the same being. You and I are the same person, just taking different trips through the present. You know the old idea of a time traveller going back in time and meeting himself. well what if when going back you were a different person each time.
I don't propose that this is actually how things work, but it makes a great what-if. Now that really adds new meaning to "love your neighbor as yourself" because that "neighbor" may very well BE your own self, taking a different trip through the present. So next time you see one of your other selves in need, stop, pitch in, help out. You want, even expect, your other selves to help you out if it was you stuck in a jam, right?
And don't be afraid to share the gospel with your other self either. They may not have heard it yet. There is really no reason to be afraid of your own self now is there. You would want to have the gospel shared to you, if you had not gotten that chance yet, right?
Play with the idea a bit, it helps conceptualize how far we should be willing to go. When to lend a hand and when to use "tough love".
Then realize that through Christ we are all one body. Not through time travel, but by God's circle of love that draws us all within. I still like thinking of it using the time travel analogy; it really gives you a clear perspective of things.
Jesus and Seat Belts
Here's a thought -
You know how some of us have thought to ourselves: I like my life the way it is, and I like my indulgences, and whatever little things I cheat at, but I know it's wrong, so I'll half-heartedly work on one small thing or another, or simply cut back a little, but continue to indulge the rest, and then when I see that the end times are here, and see the signs we all heard are coming, then I'll get more serious about my faith and put away the rest of those "cherished sins". I'll give Jesus my "all" as I see the "last days" prophecies starting to happen.
There' s of course a problem with that and we all know it, and in fact there's a couple wrong assumptions in there too, but I'll save those for another post. For now I just wanted to draw a comparison to seat belts. Imagine the driver who says to himself "I don't want to bother wearing my seat belt, or I find it uncomfortable, so I will pay attention and if I see that I am about to experience a car wreck, I'll just grab my seat belt and quickly strap in"
Only you'll be too busy wildly steering or braking. Yes That would be kinda silly.
You know how some of us have thought to ourselves: I like my life the way it is, and I like my indulgences, and whatever little things I cheat at, but I know it's wrong, so I'll half-heartedly work on one small thing or another, or simply cut back a little, but continue to indulge the rest, and then when I see that the end times are here, and see the signs we all heard are coming, then I'll get more serious about my faith and put away the rest of those "cherished sins". I'll give Jesus my "all" as I see the "last days" prophecies starting to happen.
There' s of course a problem with that and we all know it, and in fact there's a couple wrong assumptions in there too, but I'll save those for another post. For now I just wanted to draw a comparison to seat belts. Imagine the driver who says to himself "I don't want to bother wearing my seat belt, or I find it uncomfortable, so I will pay attention and if I see that I am about to experience a car wreck, I'll just grab my seat belt and quickly strap in"
Only you'll be too busy wildly steering or braking. Yes That would be kinda silly.
Welcome!
Hello! Welcome to my (finally) little spot for musings.
I come up with ideas from time to time and then they are soon forgotten. Well, No More! Here they will grow and we'll see what they become collectively.
A few words of explanation: I go by "Smart Alec" because when we were kids my younger brother was impressed with something I had come up with, and said, "wow Eric, you sure are a smart alec!" I didn't correct him - I knew what he meant :) So I'll see if I can't drum up some of those smarts to share with you here. Wish me luck.
And as for the title of this blog - Pocket Sermon - I came up with that a couple years back, thinking that it would be good to always have a little mini-sermon at the ready, to inspire and get people thinking. and if I don't have a fresh one from time to time then that means I need to be spending more time with the Word and Prayer :) For my first example I'll post "Jesus and Seat Belts", which I came up with yesterday. Not everything here will be a mini-sermon, and maybe that's even a bad name for it, but hey, I gotta start somewhere, so here we go!
I come up with ideas from time to time and then they are soon forgotten. Well, No More! Here they will grow and we'll see what they become collectively.
A few words of explanation: I go by "Smart Alec" because when we were kids my younger brother was impressed with something I had come up with, and said, "wow Eric, you sure are a smart alec!" I didn't correct him - I knew what he meant :) So I'll see if I can't drum up some of those smarts to share with you here. Wish me luck.
And as for the title of this blog - Pocket Sermon - I came up with that a couple years back, thinking that it would be good to always have a little mini-sermon at the ready, to inspire and get people thinking. and if I don't have a fresh one from time to time then that means I need to be spending more time with the Word and Prayer :) For my first example I'll post "Jesus and Seat Belts", which I came up with yesterday. Not everything here will be a mini-sermon, and maybe that's even a bad name for it, but hey, I gotta start somewhere, so here we go!
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