Orange light, beaming from its source; just enough to light its sphere of influence and partner with its comrades to keep the path lit. Gradually some dim, some lose their light completely and some keep their light shining bright, as they were made to be. Street lights work hand-in-hand to light our highways. The first street light is not more important than the last, because importance is not placed on who came first but who can keep their light shining.
Publishing articles on the internet or blogging started in the early 90s. At the time it wasn’t known as blogging and was not yet popular. In the late 90s and early 2000s, the rapid growth of blogs was experienced. When all this was happening I was in preschool, not minutely aware that one day I would open a blog. Were the pioneers more important than the millions who have opened blogs or are going to open blogs in the future?
You might argue that without the pioneers there would be no seed sowed to produce fruit. But whatever success was enjoyed in the past should not dim the light of those who continue with a profession or any activity. The responsibility should be passed on like street lights towering over our highways.
We all have something to offer, adding our flavour to whatever exists or innovating new possibilities. We all have a spark within us that we should share with the world, but the world is not always ready to accept us and we have to fight our way into the limelight. So what is the source of our light? What keeps it lit or makes it dim and what is our responsibility in sharing it with the world?
Our worldview, how we perceive our surrounding plays a major role in how we feel about ourselves. Some worldviews are determined by where and how we were raised, our faith, our education, or what we consume through media and literature.
For example, for many years the media through print and video has given us this image of what a beautiful lady should look like. If you consume this over and over again, you might see yourself as not being attractive because you don’t fit a certain mould. Your self-esteem shrinks and that spark inside you fades sometimes fast, sometimes gradually until you are not comfortable in your own skin.
There is a myriad of influences that can distort how we think of ourselves and the world around us. Some have found themselves deep in a hole of self-doubt. I watched on YouTube, a young man explain how pornography distorted his view of sex and women, leading to insecurities about his body and withdrawal from interacting with people.
Romans 6:16
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey….
What we consume really affects who we are and how we feel about ourselves. One interaction 10 years ago can affect how you feel about yourself now, a ripple effect that will take a lot of soul searching to understand what made your light start to dim. But there’s hope, we can reset ourselves, replace the old defective bulb with a new bulb.
We must check the idols, the objects, and people that we have become slaves to. Is it a personality on Twitter, a politician, or a loved one? Think about it, you will start the process of setting yourself free once you understand what is deforming your thoughts.
What is the source of our light? In our lowest points, we may find inspiration to innovate and like Paul says that he would boast all the more gladly about his weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on him. There would be no light without darkness so that persistent thorn might just be the catalyst for your light to shine, through the source who is Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
We have a responsibility, if not duty to share our gifts in the service of others. Just as each street light has its place to shine each and every one of us was placed on this earth not to be a burden but an illumination of God’s light on to this world. If we don’t take up the responsibility, we will be replaced just as a faulty lamppost would. We should humbly accept not to hide our light but let it gleam, let it shine!
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