Monday night, December 11, we had the privilege of going to see the Christmas lights at the Discovery Park in Union City, TN. Thank you to all that went and made this trip special. A special thanks goes out to our drivers for driving us there. It was a good time for fellowship and memories, and the lights were pretty cool but not as cool as the night. One of the neat things about Christmas is the lights. I remember as a kid loading up in the car to go see Christmas lights.
What is the draw? Could it be we appreciate the effort? I know the effort that goes into hanging lights. I know what it takes to hang a few icicle lights on our gutters and cannot imagine the effort some put into their displays. Jesus calls us to be light in the world (Matthew 5:14-16). It is going to take some effort on our part to shine in this world (Philippians 2:14-15). It would be easy to go along with what everyone else is doing, saying, wearing, etc., but as Christians we are called to be holy or sanctified, which means set apart. I cannot go along with what the world does when it goes against what God says, and that takes effort.
I think one of the things that I like about Christmas lights is that they are different than the same old same old. As you travel around at dark, you might see a porch light or a street light, but mostly it is dark. Then you see the Christmas lights. They really stand out in the darkness. We are drawn to them like a bug (hopefully without the end results, lol). As Christians that is what we are called to do as well. We are called to bring attention, not to ourselves, but to Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20). Shining so others will see us would be wrong. We are to be spotlights pointing others to Jesus.
It will take effort, but shine, Christians, in this world of darkness that we might show Jesus, the light of the world.