Lamps on a Lampstand

Originally written for First Lutheran Church, Morris, Minnesota - August 2004 newsletter

The week of July 12-16, 2004, twenty-three junior high youth and a varying number of adults spent five days on a camping trip near Duluth, Minnesota. It was a good time. No one fell out of the raft when we went whitewater rafting, no one got hurt, no one got lost, and I believe everyone had fun. In other words, it was a successful trip.

The Bible study theme for the week was taken from Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

During the week we concentrated on what it means to spread the light of Jesus' love to others. Instead of doing just one service project as we usually did on the Junior High camping trip, we spent three mornings doing a variety of service projects.

On Tuesday morning we helped assemble journals and decorate journal covers at a Crisis Shelter for youth. Wednesday morning we pulled weeds at Jay Cooke State Park. And on Thursday morning we played Bingo with residents of a nursing home on Minnesota Point. Now while none of these sound like earth-shattering, life-changing service events, they were all greatly appreciated by the people for whom we worked.

Our afternoons and evenings were spent having fun and exploring the Duluth area. When the day was done we gathered for Bible study and campfire. On Tuesday evening the Bible study activity involved recognizing someone in the group for something we had seen them do that spread the light of Christ.

Sounds easy, right? But think back on your own day, today. When did you see someone spread the light of Christ? When did you spread the light of Christ?

Just like you, no one else knew I was going to spring that question on them. It had even slipped my mind until I took a quick look at my lesson plans for that night. But I was lucky. While we were out walking in Duluth that day, a little boy riding his bike, lost the chain on his bike and one of our youth stopped to help him fix it.

At campfire that night, this was the youth I first mentioned. I announced that this young man had been caught doing something good. He froze and this puzzled look came over his face when I mentioned his name. He wondered "What? What did I do?" Even when I reminded him of his good deed, the young man in our group looked like, "yeah, so what's the big deal?"

True, it wasn't any earth-shattering, lightening bolt experience. Chances are good that Jesus' name never even came up in the conversation they had. But the light of Christ was spread all the same.

As we went around the circle that night, everyone had the opportunity to tell someone else how they had seen that person spread the light of Christ. Again, there were no big lightening bolt actions mentioned; it was a glass of water given, a smile, a listening ear, a candy bar shared, an invitation to go on the trip - all little things that had made a big difference to someone.

Each time the person and the deed were mentioned, the person receiving the recognition barely remembered the incident because what they had done was such a natural thing to do. Their actions were a part of who they were; lamps on a lamp stand.

A lamp is something steady and consistent. It gives a light that can be depended upon. If it is a good lamp, the flame does not waver but gives a clear, true light. We are called to be that lamp. We are called to let the light of Christ shine through us - a steady and consistent light; a clear true light that does not waver. We are called to do good deeds not to seek recognition or praise but because it's the thing to do.

In this, the light and love of Christ is spread. When the young man in our group stopped to fix the little boy's bike, he didn't do it because he was told to do it or because he expected to be recognized for this achievement (and he certainly didn't expect to end up in a devotion); he did it because it was the thing to do. I'm not sure the little boy even asked for help or said, 'Thank you'. But the young man in our group helped because he knew the boy needed his help and he had the ability to do the job.

God has given all of us the abilities to do what needs to be done. Martin Luther once said that we should do every job, every task, as if we were doing it for Jesus. Then, whether we are washing dishes, mowing the lawn, working at our jobs, or even fixing a little boy's bike, our everyday tasks become earth-shattering, potentially life changing experiences.

If we do our tasks and live our lives as a service for Jesus, then the light and love of Christ is spread. We become an example of what it means to be a Christian. We become that city on a hill; that lamp on a lamp-stand. May we all let Christ's light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.