Below is video of me teaching about The Spotlight Myth. I kicked off a series through the Sermon on the Mount for this group. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPtbSUpqVFA?list=UUdLz82V0k8JPeWelvcm_gWg&w=560&h=315]
Your shining
"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 a bushel basket, but on the lampstand, 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." - Matthew 5:14-16
It is the very property of light to SHINE. We are not given a light to shine; we ARE the light that shines. Whether we like it or not. We always shine. We shine even during the times we think we are hidden. We are still seen. It is impossible to hide ourselves. We live in a house of glass walls, essentially. How do we live? We must realize that no matter how we live each day, we still shine as a Christian. The real question is, "What am I shining out for others to see?"
You cannot cover the light, but the light can be extinguished by its own choice and desire. But when that light is actually put out....when we choose to extinguish ourselves, we are no longer followers of Christ.
The simple fact is I am a Christian, and I will shine because of it, but what do I shine forth in the name of Christianity? Since we are the actual light, we can no longer remain hidden, even if we want to.
Worry Wart
Where did that word come from? Why do we call people who worry "worrywarts"? What a gross image to attach to anyone! What is it about disgusting warts that, at some point, made someone say to his worrisome friend, "You know what! You worry too much; you're like a....a...like a WART!" Is it because a worrisome person has a root that goes beneath the surface that needs to be killed to REALLY make the worry go away?
Is it because worrisome people are an eyesore on the fingers of society? (I say "fingers" because that is generally where my warts reside)
Is it because worrisome people continue to avoid the removal of the disgusting part of themselves because of some unknown reason...because why would you actually WANT a wart (or to worry), and yet why don't you take the proper steps to remove the wart (or the worry)?
I'm not entirely sure why worrisome people are called worrywarts, but I have been thinking about worry today. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34) Jesus talks about worry. I love to remember how absolutely pointless Jesus reminds us that worry actually is. "Has anything good happened BECAUSE you have worried? What has ever got better because you worried about it?" It poses the classic response to a good stand-up comedian; "Its funny because its true."
What does all that have to do with warts? I'm not too sure...
* I decided to spare you the inclusion of a pic for this post