You are the light of the world...and of your church...

Church Lighting

Several centuries ago in a mountain village in Europe, a wealthy nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. He made a good decision. He decided to build them a church. No one was permitted to see the plans or the inside of the church until it was finished. At its grand opening, the people gathered and marveled at the beauty of the new church. Everything had been thought of and included.

It was a masterpiece. But then someone said, "Wait a minute! Where are the lamps? It is really quite dark in here. How will the church be lighted?" The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then he gave each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship. "Each time you are here' " the nobleman said, "the place where you are seated will be lighted. Each time you are not here, that place will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark."

That's a poignant story, isn't it? And it makes a very significant point about the importance of our commitment and loyalty to the church. The poet Edward Everett Hale put it like this:

I am only one,
but still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

What if every member of your church supported the church just as you do? What kind of church would you have? What if every single member served the church, attended the church, loved the church, shared the church, and gave to the church exactly as you do? What kind of church would you be?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I get something every once in a while through my e-mail called 'sermonfodder' that I believe is put together by a pastor and sent out once a week or so. Usually there is a funny story or set of quotes and then a more serious story, and this just happened to be on the last one I received.

I read through it a couple of times and found it very profound, not simply because of the image it presents, but because of how convicting it is. I am a very firm believer that a person does not truly get all they can out of their church life until they actively participate in the ministry that goes on there. That doesn't mean that they have to spend all of their free time volunteering, but simply that they take an active role in something that they have gifts in and contribute to those that they share with in the church family.

However, I also found it convicting for another reason. "What if every member of your church supported the church just as you do? What kind of church would you have? What if every single member served the church, attended the church, loved the church, shared the church, and gave to the church exactly as you do? What kind of church would you be? " This last part said almost more to me than the entire rest of the story. Though I am not a pastor, I am still a church ministry leader and play an active role in the life of the church. A couple of Sundays ago, my pastor preached a sermon and made a comment towards the end that referenced keeping people accountable for their faith. He added that sometimes it is hardest for him in that respect, because as a pastor, most people don't question his faith life on a regular basis. That really hit home for me, primarily because I have found myself so wrapped up in "doing church" that I ignore my own personal faith. That's not to say that I shut everything out, but simply that I don't take the time I should to look at and understand how the things I am seeing, doing, and hearing are impacting my own spiritual growth.

Here is a call to everyone, churched or not, leader or not - to take time for yourself. But don't stop there. Through finding ourselves, we then find out how that "self" fits in to the world around us. Take time to kindle your fire, and then add your ember into the great and glorious fire with those around you.