Waking up in the morning, a rosy-cheeked young girl opens her eyes to a bright, sunny day. Coby begins her day with morning devotions at breakfast; her Christianity is glowing, and the Spirit is shining through her. Coby has a new day ahead of her, and how she determines to use it will affect her luminance. If Coby lives righteously, she will be bright, but if she chooses to live as the world, her light will become dim. Every day is a new opportunity to glow more brightly for the Lord.
Today is warm, and the spring sun heightens Coby’s enthusiasm as she approaches the new day. Coby cheerfully picks out her favorite spring shirt and dresses for school. Cramming down her Cheerios and Pop-Tart, she completes the aggravating assignment from the night before. Renewed by the night’s rest, she is ready for whatever God puts in her path. Her morning devotional is settled firmly in her mind… “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9). Coby is determined to look to God today for help and strength.
Coby kisses her mother good-bye, and the world greets her on the other side of the front door. Searching for her keys, the crisp, morning air nips her cheeks. Silently she loads her car and heads off to school. Once on her way, her tunes are switched on, and they begin to blare through her speakers. Coby’s first choice of music was clearly not Christian. As the lyrics begin to blaspheme, her glow begins to fade. Driving 80 miles per hour does not help her brightness either; her spiritual light fades like a colored balloon stretched with air.
Looking ahead, Coby barely taps the brakes as she charges over the speed bump at her school. She arrives at school with a few minutes to spare and decides to spend them with her friends. School greets her with a hub-bub of students rushing to class. She picks up her pace as she heads to her locker. Trying not to make eye contact with the people she does not know or even care to talk to, she then finds and greets her friends.
All of Coby’s friends have something to say, and she impatiently waits for them to be finished so that she can tell them her big news. Did they hear the latest gossip? Coby couldn’t wait to tell them her big news. Spilling it was such a delight, but as she did so, her spiritual brightness faded out almost beyond recognition. At the same time, her face got warm with excitement over the news. Coby’s friends soaked up every exaggerated word as she told them just how awful Bill and Sara’s break-up was. The loud clanging of the bell was the conclusion to her dramatic story, and she headed to class. Coby thought little of her breakfast devotional as she went through the rest of her school day, but her spiritual light had continued to fade.
Flying over the speed bump once again, Coby is relieved that this time she is going in the opposite direction. Driving to work is Coby’s idea of time to relax, but this time is short lived. Some of her friends from school work here too, and the topic is once again Bill and Sara’s break-up. This is not the only topic though; swearing and dirty jokes pollute the ears of everyone in the greenhouse. Planting flowers like maniacs, they joke around all afternoon. Heading home for dinner, Coby’s light is barely visible.
Does she even remember what her devotion was that morning? “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9). What kind of light did Coby display that day? She faded into the darkness of the world by participating in the wickedness that the devil put in front of her. Talking with her friends had seemed innocent, but she used God’s gift of friendship as an opportunity to gossip. Opting to listen to the world’s sinful tunes, she tuned out God’s praises on the radio. Coby readily befriended those who had little, if no light, but would not even greet the brightest people at her school. She became dim in the dark world, and put the bushel over her light.
Ask any young child to sing “This Little Light of Mine,” and they will answer to ‘hide it under a bushel’ with a vehement “NO!” This all sounds easy, but it is easier to fall into the devil’s trap and live like Coby did. She became the devil’s tool instead of Christ’s shinning light. It is difficult to live as a Christian from day to day. It takes constant effort, but this effort is generated by thankfulness to Christ. Each day we have a new opportunity to shine our light. Christians, remember who we are shining our lights for: Christ is the reason!