“He also said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?
Isn’t it to be put on a lamp stand? For nothing is concealed except to be revealed,
and nothing hidden except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!'”
{Mark 4:21-23}
A Challenge for the Week Ahead: Show and Tell for Jesus
Do you remember Show and Tell in your kindergarten classroom? I do.
I remember distinctly how we couldn’t wait until it was our turn to bring something special to school.
We’d bring stuffed animals, new basketballs, and trinkets from vacation. Quite often, we’d bring items we’d made with our own hands. Once, I carefully wrapped up a ceramic cat that I had painted so I could take it to school. I still remember the quiet murmurs of appreciation from my classmates when I unwrapped the cat and held up my beautiful treasure.
After a few years, Show and Tell began to disappear — and not just because we graduated from kindergarten. It’s because Show and Tell feels boastful. We think Show and Tell is the opposite of humble — and good Christian boys and girls are always humble.
Consider your own life for a moment. What are you making, doing, creating, or planning today — born out of God’s gifting in you — that you kind of love? What is beautiful in your life?
I’ll bet you know the answers to those questions, but I’ll bet you’d be pretty uncomfortable sharing your answers in front of a group of peers.
Do you know that your gifts are the Kingdom, shining in you? You are like a lamp.
Listen to the words of Jesus:
Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lamp stand?
Some of us want to put our Kingdom Shine under the bed, thinking that’s what humility means.
But that’s not humility; that’s hiding.
Please know this: your light helps others to see. Your light shows other people who Jesus is, and it shows people how to find their way to Him.
Your light comes in so many different forms: in your attitude, your kindness, your humility, and your generous heart. It also shines through the gifts that God has given you. You are free to shine for Jesus. Because of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to let people see God’s work in you.
Bible commentator Matthew Henry wrote long ago:
There is no treasure of gifts and graces lodged in any but with design to be communicated.
At heart, I know what Mr. Henry said was true. Yet I was really struggling last week with the concept of “showing and telling.” I had written an encouraging, gospel-centered message on my blog, but was afraid of appearing “self-promotional” when I let my Facebook friends know about it. I shared my concern with my pastor, who later sent me this quote by Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. . . . We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
In the week ahead, resist the urge to hide your light under your bed. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.
How can you let your light shine this week?
The post Sunday Scripture appeared first on (in)courage.