Let Your Light Shine

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed and exasperated? That was my house this morning. Abby couldn't find her report card. She has gone almost a month without getting signed at school. She's really worked hard to do right this year, and she's matured so much. But, without that signed report card, she was going to get her name signed on her behavior report.

She was beside herself. She asked me where I put it (of course, it was all MY fault that it was missing). I told her it was exactly where I had left it when I told her to put it in her backpack -- on the dashboard of my car. She couldn't find it. She came in and threw an absolute crying fit (HIGH DRAMA!). Now, I know nothing like this ever happens at your houses, so don't judge! :)

Well, after about five minutes, I finally went out to the car, and sure enough, the report card was right where I said it was. I handed it to her and told her to put it IN her backpack. She continued to blame me for having "moved" it. Then, she went on to tell me all of the other things that were my fault. I took it for about a minute, and then said, "Okay, Abby. I realize that you are starting off rough this morning. So, go ahead...give me your best shot. Think of all of the things that you could possibly blame me for, and I'm going to stand here and just take it." Her tears immediately changed from ones of exasperation to ones of remorse. She sobbed as she grabbed me and hugged me and apologized. In that moment, she realized that she hadn't been treating me right. That tender, beautiful heart came out through the tears of my precious daughter. We hugged, and then dried the tears, and then she went on to school with a smile on her face.

I thought about that after she left this morning. That's what I did to Jesus. I cast all of the blame on him. He took the brunt of all of my sin. He carried the burden of my temper tantrums and poor choices and disobedience.

My prayer this afternoon was that God would make me more sensitive to His Spirit. We are filled with so much junk. We permit ourselves to act so badly sometimes. We get overwhelmed with life, and let the junk spill out instead of the light.

But, Jesus was light. He came into a dark world, and he lit this world on fire! John 8:12 (NIV1984) says,
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

This Advent season, we sing about light. Jesus Christ: Light of the World. We have the opportunity to share that light in this world. As you go through this season, ask God to make you more aware. Sometimes, as in Abby's & my case, that's all you need -- that gentle reminder.

This is my prayer for all of us this season:
"Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:16 (NIV1984)