Shine a light in the darkness

Let your light shine before men (Matthew 5:16).

Back in the days of steam ships, a man was crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner.
It was not turning out to be a pleasant trip—the ship had encountered a storm, and the rough seas kept the traveler in his bed, desperately seasick.

It was dark outside, the wind was howling, and the ship was constantly rolling back and forth. The passenger clutched his bunk, wishing for the weather to clear. Then he heard a voice crying in alarm, "Man overboard!" The sick man thought to himself, "God help the poor fellow. There is nothing I can do." After a moment’s thought, he decided that he could at least put his lantern in the porthole, which he got up and did. Thankfully, some time later news came that the man in the water had been found and brought aboard safely.

The next day, the man who had been rescued told his story to the passengers and crew. He finished by saying, "I was going down in the darkness for the last time when someone put a light in a porthole. It shone on my hand, and a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed my hand and pulled me in." The actions of one seasick passenger had made the difference between life and death.

So often in life, we feel completely inadequate. It seems as if nothing we do makes any sort of difference. We feel powerless and stupid. We are tempted to give up even trying. But before you put your life on cruise control, remember the two men out on the Atlantic on a stormy night. One man had been swept overboard and seemed certain to die. Yet another man, a complete stranger, who was too sick to do anything except shine a little light out into the darkness, was instrumental to the rescue effort. You can be like that seasick passenger. Don’t assume there is nothing you can do, just because you are not healthy or well educated. God has given you a lantern—your faith, which burns brightly with the light of Christ. We live in a world that is dark and stormy—filled with all sorts of disasters and disappointments. There are a lot of people out there who feel as if they are going under. You can help them; you can shine God’s light out into the darkness, aiding in the rescue. When someone pays you a compliment, give Jesus the credit. When you are eating out, fold your hands and say grace before you eat. There are many easy ways to let the light of Christ shine, and you never know who that light might save.