Sunshine

“You are the light of the world. A town built 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 others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)

One of my favorite things to do at the beach is to gather seashells.  I have tons of them at home in pretty glass vases and bowls, displaying the prettiest and most unique.  The type of shells I find often depends upon what beach I am visiting or what time of year I happen to be there.  Richard has found some of our best shells, star fish and sand dollars by trekking out to more deserted areas or - in his National Guard days - by being among the first to arrive after a hurricane.

I usually do my seashell hunting in the early morning sunshine.  When the sun shines down on the wet shells just washed up by the surf, they all look so beautiful!  They look like little jewels in the sand.  I tend to pick up so many and bring them all back inside, where the sun is no longer shining on them and I see them for what they are.  Nice, maybe... but not unique and certainly no different from all the ones I already have at home.  Without the light shining on them, they are no longer jewels of the sea, but just your ordinary seashell.

God's light works the same way on us.  With His light, we become more than what we are without it. We become more beautiful.  More valuable.  More.....everything.  And when we let that light shine on others, we do the same for them.  It is so easy to get swept up into this wonderful light.

Unfortunately, it is also easy to live with clouds over us, never letting the sunshine through.  And that is contagious as well.  When we share negativity, the world around us becomes a negative place and it seems like the sunshine will never appear again.

It's up to each of us each day to shine.  Connect with the Source of all light each morning and carry it out to the world each day.  Oh, the jewels we will find!

Father,
Help us to be and reflect you light each and every day.  When the clouds threaten to overcome us, help us to reach through them to your constant, ever-shining light.  Amen.