Last Sunday evening my wife and I attended a “Hanging of the
Greens” service at one of our churches. This event emphasizes the symbols of
Christmas and offers an opportunity to explain each one as the facility is
decorated for the season. All age groups participated with scripture readings
and music while evergreen roping, wreaths, and poinsettias were placed around
the room. A tall evergreen tree was the recipient of several dozen chrismon
decorations, each pointing to some aspect of the Christ event. An Advent wreath
was highlighted and its first candle, Hope, was lit.
Often this service is the first activity during the four
Sundays of Advent. Some have the church facilities already decorated and a full
Advent Service is used to begin the season. Variations from church to church
maintain a sense of uniqueness among the congregations.
In this particular church the service concluded with a
candle-lighting time. While individual candles were being lit one by one down
each row in the darkened sanctuary, the crowd sang “Silent Night”. Yeah, you
guessed right. I teared up, choked up, and couldn’t sing most of the song.
Seeing nearly 300 candles being raised while trying to voice the words “sleep
in heavenly peace” was just more than my mushy emotions could handle. Through
most of the song, about all I could do was watch.
Then it was over. The electric lights came on. We had to
blow out our candles, go home, and get ready for another week of work. Jesus
said, “You are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew
5:14-16)
As we left the church, I was bothered by the thought of how
many of us in blowing out our candles were also blowing out the only visible
testimony of our relationship to God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah whose
birth we are supposed to be celebrating. “You are the light of the world.”
These words came from the One whom we recognize as the True Light whose coming
brought truth and grace in their purest forms into our lives (John 1:17). The
True Light of the World called his followers to carry his light in the world until
he returned.
If Jesus is the light in our lives and he has told us that
we are to be the ongoing lights of the world until he returns, it would probably
be important that we let that light shine a little in the darkness in which we
find ourselves. His title for his followers pointed to how spiritual light can
impact and overcome the spiritual darkness around us.
If you are a follower of Jesus, I hope you won’t let your
candle go out. You may have a family member that has never experienced the
light of Jesus. You may have a neighbor whose idea of Christmas consists of a
fat elf in a red suit who hangs around with reindeer. Coworkers may see the
season as a time to send gifts they can’t afford to people they don’t like.
These folks need a little light brought into their lives.
The sanctuary home for victims of spouse abuse could use
your light. The local food distribution center could use your light. The
elderly resident at the nursing home who has outlived all the rest of her
family would love to see a bit of light come into her room. The single parent
would find the season brightened by your light as you offer to provide free
childcare.
You are the light of the world if Jesus has placed his light
in you. Don’t blow out your candle at the end of the twelve days of Christmas.
Don’t hold it close and hide it from those around you throughout the year. Take
a chance and offer to share the light of Jesus with someone who has no light.
If they are honest and willing to admit it, no one likes to stumble along in
the dark.
