Driving on the highway at night, the only consistent physical companion in the silence is the row of street lamps lighting the way ahead. Without these little bulbs that shine at their best faithfully each night, the loneliness of the night will certainly be magnified greatly, all life engulfed in darkness.
Indeed, a street lamp is installed at a strategic location to illuminate the road for us, its beneficiaries. No one, in his right mind, would install it under a bridge or in the middle of a jungle, where there isn't anyone in particular to benefit from the light it gives out. Because of this lamp, which shares out what it has within it - electricity transformed into light energy, we are able to see the road clearly and we can drive more safely than if we were without it and relying solely upon the high beams of our vehicles.
All of us are like a "street lamp" and there is a light within us, be it our gifts and talents or our very own positive character traits. We have been given our unique set of gifts so that we can use them for the good of others. If we were to allow God to use us and the gifts He has given to us for His purposes, our lives will not only be meaningful personally but the goodness that flows from this conformity to His Holy Will will also affect the lives of those around us; our lives will become a beacon of light for all those we meet, illuminating the right direction for them, just like how the electricity is turned into light energy in the street lamp to benefit all those who pass by its way. God would not give us useless gifts that we do not need to use.
A street lamp never stands alone on a street; it always finds itself in the company of many others, with which it does not compete in the level of brightness but collaborates for one common purpose. As we travel along the road, passing each lamp and noticing how our path is lit by one after another, we can glimpse at how these lamps seem to run a relay, taking over the baton of responsibility from one another of shedding its beams as we pass them by.
As the saying goes, "No man is an island". On our own, our lives can only illuminate one small spot on the ground and create a very limited effect on anyone's life. But if we were to form a huge community of people who are selfless and possess the spirit of contribution, how much greater an effect we will make on many more lives. We are called to be in collaboration with others; we have been made unique so that with our different gifts, we may complement one another. No gift is superior than another since all are for the service of the same purpose.
Jesus was the Beacon and the first disciples saw this Light brightly and imitated Him so that they themselves became little light bulbs shedding the light of Truth in the lives of the first Christians. Using whatever talents they had been given and coupled by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they continued the one mission of Christ - to make the Father known and to bring mankind back to its Creator. We are able to discover our faith because many have dedicated their lives to the relay of illuminating the way for all those who passed them by, till today, we ourselves have become beneficiaries too. If we do not join in to continue this relay, the "street lamps" of our faith will be fewer, more spaced out across the highway of people and the result of this is the increase in number of those who will not get a chance to witness this light, their lives never lit, their hearts never directed in the right direction. And we, who have been taught, will have to stand accountable for not shining in the way we were created to, for letting ignorant lives pass us without affecting them positively.
No. Our lives, our gifts, our wealth, our intellect, our senses, our skills and even our experiences, both happy and sad... all that we have and possess are never ours to begin with for they have all been given by the one Source of Life, that is God. They are never ours and thus, they are not ours to hog on to. They were meant to be shared, to be poured out for others, and we hold the key to that door that has been keeping them locked within ourselves. Use this key, unlock the door, and actively seek ways in which we may use what God has specially given to each of us to affect one another's lives positively, bringing about the good that He intended to through us, His instruments.
What are the gifts that you have?
How have you been using these gifts thus far?
How much more is there within you that you have yet to share out with others?
What is still holding you back from being this beacon of light for others?
The light in us must shine forth and with increasing brightness as we continue to perfect our imitation of the Light of our lives.
Photo taken from SingaporeZIN
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