A clock with no hands

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house (Matthew 5:14-15).

In a small European town, there is a strange old clock tower. What makes it strange is the fact that although it is in perfect working order, there are no hands on the clock face. The clock is kept wound and has been faithfully running for many years, but because of an old superstition, the hands were removed from the dial long ago and have never been replaced.

Think of it—a clock that works as it should, but has no hands to mark the passing of time. Mounted high in a tower, that clock could serve an entire community—but because it has no hands, it is of no use to anyone.

There are people who are just like that clock. They were baptized by the Lord Christ and believe in Him as their Savior. They pray to Jesus and ask Him to forgive their sins. Because they believe and are baptized, they are promised eternal life with God in His wonderful kingdom. Inside, these people are Christians.

But to all outward appearances, they look no different than anyone else. If they belong to a church, they rarely attend. When visiting with others, religious matters never come up in conversation. They don’t make donations of their time or money. They laugh at crude jokes, listen to gossip, and tolerate profanity without a word of protest.

People like this are like the clock with no hands. Inside, they are blessed with a working faith—but outside, there is no evidence of that faith. This is a tragedy, because all of us rub elbows with many people who need to experience God’s love. When they don’t see Christ at work in us, it is an opportunity wasted—perhaps the last opportunity they will have before a car accident or heart attack claims their lives.

Don’t be a clock with no hands; don’t keep the grace of God bottled up inside. Instead, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.