More Than Songs for Children
Those songs which we sang years ago can easily be laid aside, and we forget their powerful messages. Paul talked about “putting away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11), but this has nothing to do with forgetting those vital truths we learned even before we went to school. Look at one of those songs.
“This little light of mine…” or in another version, “This little Christian light of mine” (even though they are not yet Christians}, is at the beginning of the song. It is not just children who have a light, Jesus wants all of us to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). We are lights because we are followers of the Light (John 9:5). We reflect His glory into the world of darkness. We must not overlook just how powerful “this little Christian light” of mine is. When Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” the word “you” is plural (KJV—Ye are the light) but the word “light” is singular. By yourself you may think you have no influence on others, but never forget that a city (composed of many lights) cannot be hidden.
“All around the neighborhood…” is where I’m gonna let it shine. We all live in a different “hood,” and this is why we must see the lost souls on our streets, in our workplace and in every shop we visit. Remember how Jesus described what it means to love your neighbor. The man who helped the battered man beside the road to Jericho was not from that “hood.” In fact, he was from another nation (a Samaritan), yet he was the one who Jesus described as the neighbor. Your “hood” begins at your front door and follows you to every place you go each day.
“Hide it under a bushel…” Jesus said we should put our lights on a candlestick to give light to all of those in the house. Not just some, but all in the house! There is no selectivity in choosing those who see our lights. There is a consistency of character that is determined, not by the audience, but by our moral fiber. Men in darkness may hate the light (John 3:19-20), but we are not “secret” Christians.
“Don’t let Satan…” put it out. Paul says that we wrestle against “the god of this age” “blinded” those who are unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4) and this god will do all he can to keep our lights hidden “…lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (4:4). Far too many Christians have let Satan hide their lights under a bushel.
“I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” Shining our lights demands we make a firm decision about what we are “gonna” do! Have you faithfully done this? Perhaps we should not have forgotten the words of this song. It may not be a children’s song after all!