Carriers of Light

I have lived on a family compound for about 13 years. Behind my house are three other houses that belong to our family. There’s a house that belonged to an uncle, another that belongs to an aunt, then my in-laws live the farthest away. The kids are now old enough to ride their own things back and forth, and many times a day, we seem to make a trip, going to round one of them up, eat dinner, or to borrow an odd or end.

Every time we go to leave, my mother in law is guaranteed to follow you out the door offering you a flashlight. The kids scream ‘Yes’ in reply and thanks to my father in law, there’s enough for everyone to have one of their own.  From the mini pen lights to the handheld spotlights, he has one in nearly every size and lumen. Because of that, all of the parents yell ‘No.' Not only do we have to put down everything that we’ve rounded up so that each child can grab a light or argue about who gets which one; but then on the road, there’s a child that is certain to blind you with one of the blinking strobes as they play with buttons, talk with their hands, and enthusiastically thrust their lights into the air.

Thankfully, my mother in law also has a certain love for things with bells or lights. The middle house on the lane happens to have a wooden fence which she has used to string rope lights. As a result, most of the lane is lit in the evening. It is on a timer but occasionally something happens, and the lights aren’t on.

Now I’ve walked that road a thousand times in the years that I’ve lived there. Often barefoot, and because I’ve done it so many times, I also reject taking any additional light. I don’t want one more thing to hold. But it’s not uncommon to have limbs from trees blown by storms in the lane, deposits from animals, or toys from kids... Why just this weekend a copperhead was killed on our property. Even though I know the path, the light could help me see where I step, every time I make the stroll, which would be especially helpful is something new or unexpected were in the way.

You know the word is like that as well. Read these verses out loud and listen to the words.

Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path.

John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

1 John 1:5-9: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

In fact, there are many verses about light and darkness but this is the one that got me- check out Luke 1:79: The Lord will guide our feet to the path of peace.  

If you back it up a few more verses to verse 76, it reads:

“And you my child will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him. To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of the peace.”

Yes, walking in the light and spending time in the word may help keep us from tripping up on things no matter how familiar we are with where we are going.  –But this passage reminds us that we are very seldom on this road alone. We are called to carry the light, not just for ourselves, but also so that those we are beside might see where to step as well. We are called to care for each other and even to, prepare the way for the Lord.

I don’t know about you, but when I marry that verse with the image of the lane in my back yard, it begs me to search my heart. Where else in life am I tempted to leave the light because I think I know the words or the way? On the journey, who could be built up or encouraged, simply by my willingness to carry it and share it. Even in seeing the image of my children haphazardly waving lights in the air, doesn’t it make me soften with the reminder that we are all, in a sense, learning to carry the light ourselves. In doing so, we will all do it differently and sometimes even awkwardly. Regardless, when I consider the view from heaven, how much more wonderful is that a view to behold- when we are willing and even joyful about doing so.

Friend, I hope that this encourages you as much as it did me. Have a beautiful day (and weekend). Be blessed and remember to carry your light.