Reason to SMILE #92: SPARKLES, GLITTER AND ALL THINGS SHINY
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine;
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine;
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine;
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.¹
It was time to decorate for Vacation Bible School. The theme was “Shine” – living a life that glorifies God, being the light of the world. The stage had to radiate light so it was decorated with huge, sparkly letters spelling out the word “SHINE”. Each letter was covered in gold foil and outlined in glitter to create the perfect medium for reflecting the spot lights when they hit the stage. The set was simple when viewed with the house light burning brightly above but once darkness filled the room and the spots were pointed directly on the set, brilliant light glared in every corner of the sanctuary.
That is still my favorite VBS stage set.
Recently, I had the SHINE letters hung in our children’s hallway. Each time I walk by them, I am reminded of the sparkling light that cut through the shadows of the sanctuary each night of our Vacation Bible School and it makes me SMILE. What an effect we accomplished! But what I am most mindful of as I walk past those glittery, gold letters is the fact that I am to be shining my light into the darkness of this world in which I live.
In Matthew 5:14, Jesus calls His followers the light of the world. He explains that we are to live in such a way that when others see the light in us through our good deeds and service to those around us, they cannot help but recognize that light and give God the glory for it. You see, each day, we have to be like the big, sparkly letters of that VBS set. We have to clothe ourselves with gold foil and glitter – good deeds, service, willingness to deny ourselves, kind words, generosity, godly choices, forgiveness, love – so we can reflect the Light of our Savior for a darkened world to see.
Oh, Christian! Is your light shining today? If you’ve made the Light of the World first in your life, there’s no way you can hide it. Your light will shine for all to see and God will be glorified and I know He will SMILE!
¹”This Little Light of Mine”
Image by symbols-n-emoticons.com
A Couple of Stars and a Happy Face 