“Arise,
shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen
upon you.” -Isaiah 60:1 (ESV)
“No
one, after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but
on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. -Luke 11:33
(ESV)
Light?
How much does it have to do with peace and harmony? How can I be
light in darkness? How can the Light of the World (Jesus Christ,
Savior) shine through me?
I
recall two distinct instances from my teenage years that had to do
with following the Light of the World and His teachings, and seeking
to be light myself, as he had commanded me.
When
I was a student at Truett McConnell College, I had been elected
president of the college’s Young Woman’s Auxiliary (YWA) a
missions-service organization. Those YWA Presidents in colleges
around the state of Georgia were invited to a retreat (with expenses
paid) at a Christian encampment at Clayton, Georgia named Camp
Pinnacle. I went gladly for the days of training in methods of how
better to lead our college YWA group. The sessions also included
intensive Bible study. We heard inspirational speakers giving
challenging messages. On the last night there, we gathered by the
lake for a candlelight service. We each had a candle securely
fastened to a piece of wood so the candle would float. After a
challenging message by our speaker, Miss Sarah Stephens, we each were
invited to light our candles from a large taper, representative of
the light from Christ that He makes available to each Christian. As
each participant set her lighted candle afloat, the dark lake began
to take on a gentle glow from radiating candles. This simple but
profound illustration of individual candles set afloat on a dark lake
was representative of the difference a life radiating the light of
Christ can make in a dark world. Darkness extinguishes the light of
peace and love. But when a person’s light comes from Christ, and
His love is shed abroad to others, great strides are made in
alleviating the darkness in the world. That experience by Camp
Pinnacle that summer night in 1948 helped me to know that God had a
special work for me to do in His kingdom. I wanted the light of my
life to make a difference to others.
Another
remembrance I have is of how the mention of light affected me and
subsequent work I would do. I was fifteen years of age, and my high
school teacher, Mrs. Grapelle Mock, wanted me to interview our local
poet, Byron Herbert Reece so I could write an article about him for
our school page in the local paper. His first book of poems The
Ballad of the Bones,
had just been published by Dutton in New York. Even though Mr. Reece
lived in the same community as I, he was suddenly a celebrity, with
“The Atlanta Constitution” (newspaper) giving reviews of his book
and telling of the recognitions and awards Poet Reece was receiving.
Although I knew Mr. Reece, suddenly he had become famous. I felt shy
and hesitant to interview him. But with Mrs. Mock’s help, I
prepared for the interview with questions and readied myself to do
the very best I could with the article I would write about him.
Hesitantly, I told Mr. Reece that I liked to write, and had tried my
hand at poetry and other literary genres. I was surprised by his
reaction. “Don’t hide your light under a bushel,” he said to
me. I immediately knew he referred to Jesus’ instruction to His
disciples about not allowing light to be hidden but to put it on a
candlestand. In that interview, he told me how he kept his poetry
secret for years. Then Kentucky poet Jesse Stuart saw one of Reece’s
poems, “Lest the Lonesome Bird” published in “The Prairie
Schooner.” Stuart got in touch with Reece, asked for more of his
poems, and introduced Reece’s poetry to E. P. Dutton publishers in
New York. Reece was on his way to having his work recognized by the
world. His light was no longer “hidden under a bushel.”
That
interview with Reece set a direction for my life. What talents and
abilities I have are gifts from God. What light I have to give to
the world is also a gift from God. I am not to hide it, but with
God’s leadership, I am to share my own light with the world.
I
learned this lesson from two significant events in my life: my
interview with my neighbor the poet, Byron Herbert Reece, and a
quiet, thoughtful devotional with a group of college-age girls chosen
for a leadership role and their inspiring leader, Miss Sarah
Stephens. Jesus further taught how our light should shine: “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 5:33,
ESV) -Ethelene
Dyer Jones 08.07.2016
