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Are you a light in other people’s world or do you cast darkness? Are you someone who brings hope or just a shadow? As a Christian, you should want to shine so everyone knows you have something they don’t. Remember that song from Sunday School, “This Little Light of Mine”? Sing it again so you get the idea of shining your light. I know, I know, now the song will be stuck in your head all day. Is that really a bad thing?

As a parent if you allow your light to shine, you will bring encouragement to your child. Without that light you can dampen your child’s spirit. If you shine when you walk into a co-worker’s office, you might actually brighten their day. And imagine the gossip as to why it is you’re smiling, happy, and glowing.

Matthew 5:16 reads, In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Walking around with a bright smile and a kind attitude will make people want to know Jesus. No one wants what you have if you’re grumpy all the time.

Showing your light to the world is a wonderful way to introduce people to Jesus. It also shows Christians what it’s like to really feel the joy of God. I say be a light. Imagine how much brighter the world would be if all Christians shined. We could cast a glow to the darkest places. So here we go, together now, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, …”

I belong to a great church. The preaching’s good. It’s even filled with a couple of laughs every Sunday. The music is very contemporary praise and worship, and my Bible study on Tuesdays if a bunch of fun women. We know how to laugh at this church. You can tell the sense of humor before you walk in because we call ourselves the church for imperfect people. That’s why I like it. They enjoy themselves in the name of Jesus.

So why is it some Christians don’t know how to smile? They find laughter in church to be blasphemes. I used to belong to a church where one of the ministers tried to talk about how Christians should be happy. He showed scenes from funny old movies, including the “Who’s on First” skit by Abbott and Costello. One of the grumpy old men in the church complained, stating it wasn’t a comedy club. Do you know I still recall that sermon? However, I can’t tell you about most of the other serious sermons preached in that church.

Even Jesus liked to party. His first miracle was at a wedding where he turned water into wine. John 2:8-10 reads Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Jesus also liked to hang out with children. What can be more fun than kids?

Being a Christian does not mean no longer having a good time. If you honestly believe in Jesus, you want nothing more than to smile and laugh. If you’re a Christian, you should want to shine. The joy inside you should show on your face. God gave you a smile, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you used it.

If you’d like to know more about our Ladies of the Lord Bible Study on Tuesday nights at 6:00 in Jacksonville, Florida, please feel free to e-mail me at kathrynbain@comcast.net.

In 1974 the great Harry Chapin released a song called “Cat’s in the Cradle”. It was about a boy who grew up to be just like his father. Too bad his father had been a workaholic who never had time for his son.

Even though the song was a work of fiction, it held truth. Your children do, a lot of times, follow in our footsteps. If a boy is raised by an abusive man, he in turn becomes abusive. If a girl is raised by a mother who drinks, it’s more likely the girl will turn to alcohol at an early age. It’s all about the examples that are set.

In verse 1John 2:6, it reads, Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

Rodney Atkins’ song “Watching You” is another wonderful example of following in footsteps. The boy curses because he’d heard his father curse. The boy then prayed, telling his father he’d seen him do it that way.

If you want your children to grow to be like Jesus, you have to live like you believe in Him. A lot of people claim to believe in Christ, but they don’t walk the walk. Children easily pick up on the hypocrisy.

Every time you think of doing something you shouldn’t, just remember there are little eyes watching you. If you’re a good person and treat people well, so will your children. Let them see you pray, and let them see you help others. Then we won’t have to listen to people say they are worried about the next generation.

Is God telling you to step out of your comfort zone and do something you don’t want to do? Do you come up with every excuse imaginable to not have to? “I’m too shy.” “I wouldn’t know what to say.”

If God is telling you to go, He’ll give you the way. If you keep coming up with excuses, He’ll either give the job to someone else, or something will happen in your life where you’ll have no choice. Wouldn’t it just be easier to do it in the first place than to fight him?

Look at Moses in Exodus 3:10-11: So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Moses thought he wasn’t good enough, but God gave him the strength to free his people.

God might be asking you to do something like be a greeter at the door of your church, to something as huge as go to Africa on a mission trip. God told me years ago to start writing. I was never good at English in school, so I just dabbled. That writing voice kept beckoning me so finally I got serious. Years later, (yes years) I got my first publishing contract. But it was worth the wait.

You can fight, argue, or come up with as many excuses as you’d like, but if it’s God’s plan, it’ll be on your mind constantly. I say stop wrestling with yourself and God. Just go with it. The rewards are very overwhelming.