I just had to share this story that moved me last week.  In a mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wanted to leave a legacy to his village and couldn’t decide what to do.  At last, he decided he would build them a church.

He didn’t allow anyone to see the complete plans until he was finished.  When he finally completed it, everyone was in awe of it’s beauty!  But one person noticed something was missing.  “Where are the lamps?” he asked.  “How will the church be lighted?”

The nobleman smiled and then handed each family a lamp (envision this!).  He told them all, “Each time you are here, the area in which you sit will be lighted; when you are not here, some parts of God’s house will be dark.”

Wow.  Just wow.  It certainly made me think first about when I’m not at church, my little area on our little pew is ‘dark.’  When a lot of people aren’t present with their lamps, think how that dims the church.  And then it led me to think about our presence anywhere – in the office, in a classroom, in a hospital room, a friend’s home, in the place we call home…if WE, you and me, aren’t there with our lamp, our little area is dark.  Yes, I do believe some people can be in a room and it still be dark – Lord knows, some people light up a room by leaving it sadly – but that’s not you, right?  

This little light of mine, I want to let it shine!  Carry your lamp today, someone may be sitting in the dark waiting for you.

You walk into the room
carrying your light,
and to all those who are there,
it is a beautiful sight.

They’ve been sitting in the dark
wondering what to do,
they couldn’t find their way
and then in walks you.

Some days yours may be dim,
while others, it shines so bright,
but regardless of how strong or weak,
important is your light.

It might be the only one
that someone sees today,
just that little light they’ve been praying for,
enough to get them through the day.

@traceykingrice2024