Word of the Day (8-31-11)

Good Morning Everyone

Today is Wednesday August 31, 2011

The word of the day comes from Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

My Interpretation

We just got our power back on yesterday (thank you Jesus) and after I don’t know how many times I said thanks for that, this scripture came to mind. It’s always the simple things in life that we take for granted. The realization of how necessary having light, heat, electricity, hot water, are we really don’t realize and appreciate to the fullest extent until you go without. Since Saturday night around 10pm our entire neighborhood has faded to black to use the Jay-z term. I don’t mean a little black. I mean pitch black can’t see in front of you. Our street looked and felt deserted. It felt as if life had been taken from the neighborhood. And this can all be derived from the fact there was no light. People were continually in a panic wondering when the light would come back on. When would order be restored and life go back to normal? It felt hopeless and you could sense the mood of the people change and it seemed like less joy was around all because there was no light. There are still over a 100,000 homes in the DMV area without light that are probably still experiencing this problem. And when the light was restored in our neighborhood yesterday, this word became rema to me. People were outside telling their neighbors that everything was back to normal. The joy on the people’s faces could not be described.

And that is how we are for the world as Christians. A lot of times we are taken for granted. We are ridiculed, we are misused and mistreated on our jobs, we are taken advantage of, and it seems as if people just don’t care and intentionally are out to hurt us. We are the light and we are treated sometimes the way we treat the electricity in our own us. However, when there is a crisis in the same place those same people that really hurts then, those are the same people will find a way to find you for prayer, for understanding, for comfort, for relief, for help, for God. In their darkest hour the realization comes to them that no matter how hard they try to dismiss the light (child of God) something on the inside will make them aware that the only thing that will clear the darkness in their own personal life is the light and that no matter how hard they try, they know they need the light (child of God) too.

Be encouraged and stand firm. Let your light shine even when it seems no one wants it or cares its shining. When the lives of those who try to make our lives miserable have their own personal blackout, the first thing they will do is cry out for the light because they realize that is the ONLY WAY that they will see their way out of their situation. Be encouraged! Be a light! Shine bright!

Have a wonderful, blessed, productive, stress free day!