Let it Shine!

I love when i find a passage that i've read a bunch of times and discover something new about it. Especially the verses that we base songs off of. Even more especially the ones we base children's songs off of and we are never told their context!

Check out this passage of Luke 8:16-18 in the ESV:

No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.

"...I'm gonna let it shine!" Right?

Interestingly enough, the passage's emphasis seems to be on "shining" "how you hear."

The times that i'm the most "on" in life is when i'm the most richly reading scripture and have spent daily times in conversational prayer, speaking and listening. I think this passage is saying when Jesus reveals to you some quality about Himself or the Kingdom (see the context of Luke 8) that revelation has no purpose of being secret or hidden. "Let it shine!"

But of course, we can not do any shining if we haven't lit the lamp. I believe we can consume the Bible without tasting it, and converse with Jesus without hearing Him. Real easily too.

When we read the Bible, make sure you're not just hogging it down and finishing up the meal. Really taste and digest what is being fed to you.

And when you pray, don't just talk. Listen. Listen, listen, listen. If we really are going to preach "relationship" we must listen, for listening is the key part of communication, which is the key part to any relationship. And the promise says that if you listen, and receive, you will be given more! But it's up to us to begin really listening. So...

"Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"