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“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:9a-10 (ESV)

Ever noticed how a flickering flame – a bright light in the midst of dark can be extinguished quickly? Doesn’t take much for this girl’s light to fade. One wrong raised against us and we’re ready to prove us right. One conversation gone bad and we wound more with our words than we ever imagined. Malicious no way – but did we really say that with an intent to build up? Stops us in our tracks when we realize our finger pointing and careless intentional tearing others down moves us into still darkness.

Takes energy and effort to zero in and purposefully spend away our words. Too easy to join in on the posts that slam, gossip and yes, exploit perceived truth. Guaranteed way to never shine if we’re preferring self gratifying rather than other lifting. Not God’s idea of this little light of mine.

If you’re like me, I remember singing to the top of my lungs how I wanted my light to shine. Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Children’s Church and yes, right in front of our parents we declared our light to shine and wouldn’t dare hide it under a bush oh no! But somewhere after childhood, the drifting of our passion to shine bright often finds itself barely flickering.

Love these words of Isaiah 58 inviting us to be a beacon of hope rising up in the darkness. Wonder what our world would look like if we truly spent our energy, words and passions on helping those in need? If pride slipped out the door and arrogance was driven away no credit given to us – wouldn’t that be amazing? I can see the smile already gracing God’s face. Instead of tearing down, we’d be builder uppers. We’d be less focused on us and more generous to others. That sweet friend is how our light rises up even in the pit of someone’s darkness for all the world to see.

“Father, Your love brightens the darkest of nights – help us to be givers of Your kindness, patience, mercy and grace so that all will see Your love shining through us.

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life