“You are the light of the world.” A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
World events occur in life, and the exact place and time are seared into our memories. Such times for me would include the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle, the wedding and death of Princess Diana, the attack on 9/11, and now the death of Queen Elizabeth. I have never considered myself a “Royals Watcher.” Still, I did sport the Diana haircut at one time and bought, on a payment plan, the very miniature version of her diamond and sapphire engagement ring. Watching the numerous TV broadcasts of the Queen’s life on the day of her death was intriguing and inspiring. Even though I knew she was the head of the Church of England, I was ignorant of her deep, genuine personal faith. It is always a comfort when a death occurs to know that the person was a Believer, but I admit, I was saddened to realize that I was unaware of her abiding reliance on His guidance. Maybe I would have paid more attention to her speeches or actions and perhaps been more of a “Royals Watcher.”
As a Christian, I believe those whose lives we touch should be able to see and feel our faith. The 1960’s spiritual song, “They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love,” was one of the first non-traditional songs I learned as a youth in the church, and I have never forgotten it or its message. The song lyrics teach that we are one in the Spirit, we will walk, work and praise together, and most importantly, our love for each other and humanity will be visible to the world. Inspired by the thirteenth chapter of John, Jesus is in the upper room sharing a meal with His disciples, and the preparations for foot washing have been made. He proceeds to wash the feet of the disciples, leaving us with a ponderable example of genuine humility and love. It is here that Jesus says, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (John 13:34-35). Talk about a moment and place marked in time! Jesus was bold and clear and His message was simple. The world will identify us by our love for each other. With all the cultural identity issues of today, this is one identity we should not be ashamed of or hide (2 Tim 1:8, Rom 1:16, Mark 4:21).
In the Queen’s 1975 Christmas broadcast, she reminded listeners that “Jesus’s simple message of love has been turning the world upside down ever since (His birth).” It was a reminder that our actions change lives. I’ll leave you with her example, “If you throw a stone into a pool, the ripples go on spreading outwards. A big stone can cause waves, but even the smallest pebble changes the whole pattern of the water. Our daily actions are like those ripples, each one makes a difference, even the smallest.” And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The picture is of the site of the upper room in Mt Zion in Jerusalem