Livin’ Lit Up
Well, howdy, mighty glad to see you stoppin’ in. Why don’t you just come on up here on this here ol’ front porch, friend, right over there beside the Crepe Myrtle bush where it’s real shady. You, know, some mornin’s you wake up feelin’ about as bright as a lil’ ol’ lightnin’ bug that plum forgot to recharge itself overnight. Other days you plum feel more like an ol’ rooster that went and overslept and is tryin’ to crow anyway with a real bad sore throat. But you know what? Jesus looks right at folks like us and says in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world.” Now that’s really somethin’, ain’t it? He didn’t s you might be a light if you git your act together. He said that you already are onaye. And Philippians 2:15 reminds us that “we shine like stars in a crooked world,” even when we feel more like a porch light bulb that flickers on and off whenever the wind blows.
The religious leaders thought they had done solved their Jesus problem by crucifying Him, but all they did was spread Him around like a bag of chicken feed that busted open on the barn floor. Suddenly His disciples was preachin’, prayin’, and performin’ miracles. It was as if Jesus had returned, and in a way, He had because He was livin’ inside His people. That’s what happens when the Holy Spirit moves in. You start lookin’ like a walking miracle, even if you still trip over your own feet sometimes.
A transformed life is one of the best doggone sermons ever preached. New believers shine without even tryin’. Their attitudes plum change, their habits shift, and their faces brighten like an ol’ lantern that finally got a fresh wick put in it. Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt makes folks real thirsty. Light helps folks see better. When you git to livin’ for Jesus, people notice it. Even if you never say a word, they can sense somethin’ different the way a lil’ ol’ nosy raccoon can sense a picnic basket from three counties away.
And, friend, when someone finally asks, “What is it about you?” That there’s your moment to turn on the light. 1 Peter 3:15 says to always be ready to explain the hope within you, and to do it with gentleness. You don’t need no seminary degree. You just need a heart that has been changed and a willingness to shine.
Father, thank You for calling me to be salt and light. Help me shine with Your love in ordinary moments and unexpected places. Let my life point others to You without striving or fear. Make me bold, make me kind, and make me faithful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Ok, now, Friend, as you git back into your day, remember that light don’t git to arguin’ with the darkness. It just plain shines. Salt don’t beg to be noticed. It simply flavors everything it touches. And you, by the grace of God, git to carry both of ‘em. So, walk out there like a lit-up brass lantern shinin’ brightly on a hilltop, and let the world see a real good gleamin’ glimpse of the One who lives right inside you.
With joy,
Gwen
