by: Russell McLaughlin

This Little Light of Mine

“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)” Ephesians 5:8.

I depend on light bulbs. I may understand the basics of how they work, but I can’t make one or fix one. When I flip a switch, I expect light. If the bulb doesn’t work, I replace it. A burned-out bulb has no further use to me—it gets thrown away or recycled.

It doesn’t even matter why it failed. Maybe the filament burned out over time. Maybe it was a defect. Maybe it cracked and lost its gas. All I know is that it no longer works.

Thankfully, people are not disposable like light bulbs. Sometimes people stop “working.” Life pressures crack them. Long seasons of stress burn them out. Sin leaves defects in all of us. Yet unlike broken bulbs, people are not meant to be discarded.

When I can’t fix broken lives—including my own—I can point them to Christ. Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” (Matthew 11:28–30). He restores what is ruined and transforms broken lives into something beautiful.

As Christians we are to be living light bulbs, and too often we fail to shine as I should. Yet forgiveness humbles us and compassion renews us. Our purpose in life is to gather up some other old, broken light bulbs and lay them at our Master’s feet. For He is light and life.

Jesus calls us to let our light shine in Matthew 5:14-16. Like the children’s song reminds us: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine… Don’t hide it under a bushel… don’t let Satan blow it out.” Let’s lean on Jesus and let our lights shine brightly!