Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Matthew 5: 15 [i]
I grew up with bushel baskets: baskets of corn; baskets of peaches; baskets of apples; baskets of potatoes, and other things common to a farm. As a child, I liked to play in the barn. Once, I climbed a ladder to the barn floor, and at the top of the ladder sat a turned over bushel. I thought, “Someone knocked this over, so I’ll turn the basket over.” When I lifted the basket, a huge possum looked me in the eye! “A rat!” I made haste to reposition the basket over the animal and eased back down the ladder as my heart beat a retreat. Daddy got a big kick out of my discomfort. He had found the possum. He understood the possum propensity for playing dead. He put the basket over him and planned to return and take the animal somewhere else. Much can be hidden beneath a bushel basket.
In the above scripture, Jesus talks about hiding our light beneath a basket or a bushel. Christ followers carry a light—a reflection of the Light of lights, our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a basket needs turned upright in order to shed the light. Baskets can contain all sorts of things, both beneficial and not. A bushel of potatoes left unsprouted and dirty will soon rot. As they rot, one rotten potato causes the next one to rot. Soon the entire basket of potatoes is discarded. No potatoes remain to replant and start another crop.
Consider the body of Christ followers and how we gather collectively to shine in our community and around the world. Our fellowship together either shines our lights into the world about us, or we snuff our lights one by one, and the light of others will glow dimmer and dimmer until there is no light to shine. Our dim or extinguished light influences others and soon the entire church sheds no light into the darkness of the world. No light exists to pass on to the next generation. The church is sold for an antique shop or restaurant.
In the Genesis account of God’s covenant with Abraham, God foretells of Abraham’s descendants (the ones he didn’t have) being exiled for four hundred years. An interesting little sentence pops out:
“And they shall come back here in the fourth generation,
for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
Genesis 15: 16
Amorites were gigantic people. Although God had given Abraham and his descendants the land we now know as Israel, At the time, Abraham had no offspring. More than two centuries would pass before Abraham’s promised line of descendants would reach even seventy adults. Seventy people, let alone Abraham alone and still childless, could not take over a land overrun by Giants, idol worshippers, and peoples of a different race. In four-hundred years God would multiply them to 600,000 men, plus families, a large enough force to populate the land and watch God conquer the land for them. They had to shine together.
As Christ followers, we can shine a brighter light when we are connected to others. Indeed, we as individual believers are responsible to give light “to all that are in the house,” yet, a greater impact beyond the house and into the dark world can be seen when we shine together.
Shining as a body of Christ followers doesn’t give me a pass to let others shine while I smolder. I am responsible to worship and pray together with other believers, to learn the Word of truth alongside other believers, and then go with them out into the dark world reflecting the Light of the world. Together we can conquer the giants of hatred, sadness, and conflict binding the people we meet, and introduce them to Jesus, the Light of lights.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life …
Philippians 2: 14-16
Challenge: Think about how you shine within the fellowship of believers where you worship. If you do not have a church home, pray for God’s Spirit to lead you to one where He shines. Visit a church or return to one where you have worshipped before. If you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior, ask Him to shine His light into your life and follow Him.
Prayer: Father of lights, help us as Christ followers to bring Your light to a dark world. Amen.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5: 14-16
Scripture from English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise indicated
[i] King James Version (KJV)
