This little light of mine

This is a different kind of summer for Karrie and me. We have a summer job. It consists of a little 4-month-old that I call granddaughter. But there is more, much more.

We start our mornings with cuddles, followed by a bottle and kids’ songs in the background. Of course, the old time favorite “This little light of mine” is on the playlist. After eating time is play time and lots of laughs and giggles. But that song stays in your head all day. And that song got me thinking.

This song is talking about letting your light shine for others to see. That is easy to do when you’re playing with a sweet baby of a job. We have the opportunity to pour our love into this little girl, and in turn we receive the light she has in her. It makes all day worth it to see her adorable little smile. But what about the time we are not watching her and all her addicting attributes.

We are to let the light shine all the time. So, much like last week’s column and the contagiousness of a smile, we are to let the world see what has been placed in us. At the store, on the road, at a family gathering and with our spouses. All the time. I know what you’re thinking: Impossible. When I am watching my football team and the they are losing, I will not let my light shine or smile. I did not say it was not going to be difficult, but we are called to let our light shine; do not hide it or let the flicker of the flame go out.

Someone recently told me they have to start each day, before they do anything else, reminding themselves to have a great day, to look for joy in all things, to overcome, no matter what they find challenging them that day. In other words, choose to smile, choose to let their light shine.

I know that is easier said than done, but the reward is worth it. I remember hearing from a troubled student who was severely depressed. The student told me he had planned to hurt himself that night. But a teacher said “good morning” and asked them how he was. He did not tell the teacher the truth immediately, but later did tell of his plans. Because the teacher cared enough to ask, the student said, he decided to get help instead of what he had planned.

So, when we do let our light shine, something special happens. But we need to go to the root of the light. Where does this light come from? Well, without preaching too much at you all, in the song they are referring to the light of God that is in us all as his creations. Letting the world see our light is the same as letting God show through us. When we share that God in us in others, it ignites the flame in them and God shines in them, as well.

In turn, when our team is losing, we have a bad day, things don’t go as we planned, or we are just not feeling good, we can choose to pass on our misery or we can shine, smile and pass on the love that is deep in our core being.

So, like last week when I challenged you to smile, this week I challenge you to let your light shine. Like the song says, even in the darkness let our little light shine. That ultimately means we change the atmosphere from our own decisions to be positive. So, let’s be positive. I could need it, a young person’s life could depend on it, and, really, we all need it. I’m Jess saying.