In John 8:12, Jesus says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Then in Matthew 5:16 He says “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Nothing can produce light on its own. All light comes from God. But once Jesus has started His fire burning in you, it is a great privilege to display that to the world. A candle will never be able to light itself, but once it is lit, it can be used to light other candles. But a candle must be tipped over to share its flame with the next candle. This is why Jesus talked many times to His disciples about humility and being willing to serve. James 4:10 says “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Pride gets in the way of God’s love that is meant to flow through us. Pride causes us to think only of ourselves, and we miss opportunities to love people. But when we humble ourselves before God, He is able to raise us up to share His extravagant love with the people around us. And unlike a candle that will eventually burn down, God’s love knows no limits. The possibilities to love and serve Him are only limited by our willingness. Recently a woman who doesn’t know Jesus yet came to me crying. She is in a difficult place in life, and she was saying how depressed she is feeling. I gave her a hug, told her how much God loved her and that He had a better plan for her future. When she left, I told God that I knew He loved her, and asked Him to please somehow SHOW HER how much He cares. In such a clear voice He spoke to my heart and told me that He DID show her. He sent her to me for a hug and encouragement, and to be pointed to Jesus. We partner with Him to see His Kingdom on earth by letting His love flow through us to others. What an honor it is to love people! God reveals His love to us so we can share it and be burning lights in a dark world!
