Devotional

This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. So many of us grew up singing that song – being told to let our light shine, not hide it under a bushel (whatever that is), and not let Satan *pfff* (not sure how to spell that, but you get my drift) it out. But how do you let your light shine when you’re told to stay inside, to stay in your home? How can you be the salt of the earth and the light of the world in the middle of a global pandemic?

First of all, ask yourself, how can you be salt and light in your home, with the people you are quarantined with—your parents, siblings? Philippians 2:14 says to “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” Now, I know that can be hard to do after a few weeks of being at home with your family essentially 24×7—everyone’s stressed, scared, and probably getting on each other’s nerves. Do everything without grumbling? That’s a big ask – especially when you’re doing school online, you can’t go and see your friends, you’re not getting to do so many things you were looking forward to. Everyone’s grumbling about what’s going on right now, right? Basically, but with that being the case, just think about how much brighter your light will shine if you don’t do that. If you don’t join in the grumbling, the arguing, the protesting? Philippians 2 goes on to say that if we do that, we’ll shine among this warped and crooked generation, like stars in the sky! Just think about how much this would mean to your parents—if you didn’t grumble or argue, but instead you respond with patience, love, peace. That’s not easy to do, but that’s what we’re called to do as followers of Christ!

So how can we let our light shine? What things can you do to love your family, your friends, your neighbors, your community, in the middle of this pandemic? I don’t have all the answers, nor have I done the best job myself at this, but I want to give some suggestions.

  1. As cliché as it may seem, it’s true. Prayer is our main weapon against the evil in this world, as well as the way we connect to God. So use this powerful tool to pray for your family, friends, neighbors, community, world. Pray for those who are lonely, hurting, sick, grieving because a loved one died. Pray for those who have been diagnosed with covid-19, as well as the healthcare workers who are fighting to keep people alive, and our government leaders who are trying to navigate this difficult time and figure out how to respond to this in a way that protects people.
  2. Reach out. Reach out to the people in your life. Chances are, they are struggling, lonely, hurting, and more, just like you. Just sending a text or a letter, or giving them a call, could make their day and show them that they aren’t alone and that someone cares for them!
  3. There are so many ways to give and help right now – whether that’s through South (donating to or helping with the foodbank, giving to the church to keep our ministries going), delivering food to people who are vulnerable and can’t get their own food, or more. There’s so many ways to give right now!
  4. Get creative with how to love. So many people are finding creative ways to love others around them, to shine a light, to be a good neighbor. Delivering rolls of toilet paper or cookies to people’s houses, writing encouraging notes on the sidewalks, making signs for your windows, or more. Even just smiling at another person when you’re out on a walk could brighten their day.

I could go on, but I just wanted to give you a few ideas. You can still be a bright light for Jesus from your home. So, spend some time thinking – how can you be the salt of the earth and light of the world during this season that we’re in right now? How can you love your family, friends, community? Be a light for Jesus in this dark, scary time. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

 

Scripture

 

Matthew 5:13-16

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

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.

Phil 2:14-16

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Prayer

God, help me to be a bright light right now when everything is so scary, dark, and unknown. Help me to love those around me well. When I get stressed, give me the love, peace, and patience I need to not grumble and argue. Show me what you would like me to do to be a light in my community right now and how to love people well, even if it’s just from my home. Amen.

Questions/Journal prompts

 

  1. When do you notice yourself grumbling the most? Are there certain things that make it worse?
  2. How can you be a light in your home and love your family well during this time?
  3. Who could you reach out to today to check in on?
  4. What are some ways that you could love and care for your neighbors and your community right now?

Song to listen to

Spend some time listening to this song, reflecting on the words, and sitting with Jesus. We can do so much when we’re standing in God’s love – just think how much more we can love others when we’re doing that.

Stand in Your Love – Bethel

Here is a link to a Spotify playlist with all of the songs from these devotionals!