Light a Candle

 

[Jesus said] “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 ESV).

 

"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness" is a Chinese proverb meaning better to do something about a problem than just complain about it. Further, a candle is a small answer to a large problem, but it is still a worthy step in the right direction, rather than just bemoaning the problem. It has been quoted many times over the centuries. Jesus uses this concept in His teaching about our opportunity to make a difference in our world. We’ve all seen this principle at work. When you turn on a powerful light in a bright, sunlit room, you hardly notice that the light is on; but when you light a tiny candle in a dark room at night, you can see so much more than you could before. Light makes a difference according to when and where it is used.

 

Everywhere we turn in today’s world, we can see and hear loud voices “cursing the darkness.” Anger and accusation are commonly accepted ways of speaking out, often with half-truths and even blatant lies. We’ve even added a new vocabulary word to describe our current condition of public speech: “gaslighting”. Jesus has a clear answer to how we can overcome and change this kind of culture. We are called to light candles: offering words of encouragement; living out Jesus’ kind of meekness when manipulation and deception are often used to wield ­power godlessly; working to help others, advocating for them openly as well as serving quietly behind the scenes.

 

There are so many ways to do this. Many of us have some time, even though it may be a small amount, that could be used to make a difference in someone’s life. Remember, it is not the size of the light, but the size of the One who is behind the Light! What candle are you going to bring to the darkness of your world?