Lighthouse part 2
A lighthouse doesn't look for light. A lighthouse provides the light. And it lights up the way for others, so they don't get hurt. I think that's one of the most important aspects of this Rant series--we do NOT shine light on people in order to put their faults on display. We are not on a sin-hunt. We shine light on people so that they can see clearly. See themselves clearly, and see God clearly. See that God is love. And see that they are loved. God IS light, right? And God IS love, right? So shining the light is shining the love! Look at Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee." We don't arise BY shining... that's backwards. That's works and labor. And works and labor don't work. We shine because we have arisen. Because His glory is risen upon us! We don't have to build a tower to get up to God and make a name for ourselves. He came down to us and gave us HIS name. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Revelation 2:17). I believe there is only one white stone. And I believe it only has one name written on it. Our new name, which is our TRUE name. Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in OUR flesh. Love in OUR body. And the reason that no man knows that name except he receive it is because no one knows LOVE until they receive it. We rob ourselves, and each other, so many times by looking for love in all the wrong places. Because we think we aren't worthy of actual love. So we settle for anything that we can squint our eyes and convince ourselves, "Well... I guess this is as good as it gets." But Revelation speaks of him with an EAR to hear. Because love starts as a Word. THE Word. "Let there be light." And then we don't have to squint into the darkness anymore. We can see clearly. We can ignore the lie--the same lie that the serpent whispered into Eve's ear that says you have to DO in order to BE. We can hear that still, small voice inside of us saying, "I love you, I love you, I love you." The ultimate truth of the universe: God is love and He loves you. That's the glory of the Lord. What else would bring glory to the God who IS love, but when His people love each other? But you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word (Jesus, love) of God. You can't believe something you don't know. But once you know it--with a knowledge that passes knowledge--you can throw it. Once you receive it... you can release it. When you know that you ARE the light of the world, in the same way that Jesus was (and is) the light of the world, that's when you begin to shine. Naturally. Not by trying to force things, but by being filled to overflowing with what you've already been filled with. Knowing you are light is how you let your light shine. You don't MAKE it shine. You are not the vine. You are a branch. You don't produce the fruit. You simply bear it. You simply enjoy it by offering it to those who are hungry. You simply share it. You don't look for light from somewhere else. You simply let what's inside come out. Because its too good, and too big, to keep to yourself!