Be a Light

I have this picture framed in my kitchen - it was in a corner and I was moving stuff around yesterday and saw this picture in a "new light" - I am not sure why I never thought of this picture like it before, but God has His timing for us all.
I am reading the new Max Lucado book - Outlive your life - if you have not read it - please read it. It is life changing. This week has been crazy busy for me - but also a eye opener too. On Monday we had our 2nd annual Block Party at church. We invite people in the surrounding neighborhood of our church and cook sausage wraps, brownies and water, have the big bounce houses and bounce slides and just visit. No strings attached just come, visit and let us get to know you. I had signed up to monitor the bounce slide. Wow - what a job. Some of the little kids were so precious, others needed..... well - something....love and some discipline. One little boy in particular came over to me and got right in my face and said, "You are a Loser." I gasped and quickly said, "No, I am a winner!" I was so shocked that a little child could say something like that for no reason. He continued to not mind, break all the rules and I finally snapped my fingers and in my toughest voice (still trying to have the "law of kindness" on my tongue) told him that was It - if he couldn't mind he would not get back on the bouncer. He looked at me and minded. I was so proud. He came by and grabbed my leg and asked me to go on the bouncer with him. I told him oh I can't I'm too big. He ran off and I thought nothing of it. When he came back through - he looked at me and said, "You....are a pig!" ugghhh. (I later realized I had hurt his feelings when I said no) When it was over I helped a grandmother load up her 7 or 8 grandkids (the little boy that called me names happened to be one of hers). A friend of mine stayed and talked to the grandmother, and I am still not sure if all the kids stay with the grandmother or how many of the kids had parents - I came home and fell to my knees in prayer - we have so many families right here that are in desperate need - of love, kindness, and acceptance. That little boy has heard from someone the words spoken in hatefulness - "loser" "pig" - We are called to - Be a Light.....
One of the chapters in the Max Lucado book is - See the Need; Touch the Hurt -it says that it is hard to look suffering in the face. We would rather turn away, stare in a different direction, but what if we "look" them in the eye until we "see" and feel compassion for them. Jesus is our perfect example. I had 2 full days of court and I have started trying to pray for the people involved and instead of being in fear of some of the defendants, see the person and have more compassion. Realizing that they are someone's child. Thursday was talent show - you have so many different types of people - some that had VIP tickets and others that didn't have enough money to enter. Each one has their own hurts and problems, and it is our job to ..... "be a light" Today was Harvest Festival and we handed out water bottles free (from our church) and the look on peoples faces when they found out they were free. We also started a new Bible Study this week and Kay Arthur said that we should cherish our Bible, imagine holding it so close to our head, for our minds to soak it up, and hold it close to our hearts to have our hearts so full of God's Word!
I wish I could be like the picture above and everyone that I see, would look at me and see a smile....see a joy.....see a love in my eyes....I love the image of carrying a big sunshine around - Live in the Light! -
2 Corinthians 4:6 (The Message)
5-6Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we're proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.