Lightbulbs

 

I recently ordered a copy of author Richard Rohr's, timely book "Falling Upward", a journey of the realization of the two halves of one's life. I won't elaborate too much at this point, as I am just getting started, but for our purpose today the overarching theme of Rohr's book is that our lives are separated into two distinct parts. The first part is living our life for ourselves, learning, growing, falling down, and getting back up. The second part of life's journey isn't necessarily a given that everyone will attain this new adventure in life. If we reach the "further journey" that Rohr describes, our lives no longer are impacted by what happens to us, but more so, what happens through us that impacts the lives of those we share life with each day in our homes, on the job site, or in many cases the encounters and acquaintances we happen upon throughout our day. In attaining this new journey in life, Rohr shares a truthism that Desmond Tutu shared with him on a visit to South Africa with the anti-apartheid leader, "We are only the light bulbs, and our job is to just stay screwed in." Wherever you are in your journey of this life you have been given to live out, you are a light bulb. Plain and simple, you are a light bulb. What do light bulbs do? Well that depends. 

 

Some light bulbs are still in the box. Their potential is obvious because the label on the box informs us of what wattage the bulb is and what type of light is capped inside of the tiny filament of the bulb. A bulb in the box may very easily live out its existence stuck in a box, never gaining an opportunity to share its light with anyone. For some of us we are living that style of life. We have potential good to share, we have skills that God gave us and yet we either hold back from sharing our light because we don't want the extra work load or we may fear the possibility that we might fail in our endeavors and thus appear to be a failure. People who live their life in the light bulb box may be very successful in life, their family is growing, their jobs are secure, and they appear to be doing all the right things and checking all the right boxes at just the right time, but something is missing. Their true potential is not being reached, because light bulbs are only beneficial when they are screwed in to the source of their energy which will then illuminate their lives for the true purpose they were created, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (Ephesians 2:8-10). 

 

Other light bulbs are screwed in to the socket and have seen how their light can illuminate a room, but for some reason their power button has been turned off. A light bulb in a socket has the potential to impact the room in which they are situated, but with no power running through the bulb, there is no light available. In the lives of way too many people this is the case. You attend church, you pray for those in your life that are sick or hurting, and you give your tithe each week, but when the rubber hits the road, you aren't shedding light in the darkness of the world in which you live. God has more in store for us, we just have to be willing and ready to turn the switch on and start fulfilling God's purpose for our lives.

 

Finally, there are the light bulbs that are out of the box, screwed into the power source, and are illuminating their world. There is nothing more fulfilling than sharing the light that has been given to you. Light bulbs were not invented to keep their energy and light to themselves. Jesus commented on this in Matthew 5:15 "No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house." Light bulbs that shine their light are bright and their sense of purpose is fulfilled. Their light beams out and provides guidance and awakening to those in need. A light bulb that is turned on for God shares the energy that God has placed in their life into the lives of others thus creating a new source of potential light from that person's life well lived. The only potential pitfall for us here is that we, as Tutu warned, must stay screwed in to the source of our light. 

 

Personally, I have not reached the second half of my life's journey yet. There is so much potential energy locked up inside of this life, and I am ever so eager to connect my potential light with the true energy source from which each one of us receives our strength to boldly move onward and upward. The light I have to share is not mine to keep and place under a basket, but instead, God has placed the light that He wants me to share inside of this life I have been given and there is no better time to allow that light to shine. Oh, the fear of not living out my life in a manner that illuminates what God has done for me, and how that same light is available to anyone that wants to turn on their own life's light bulb. "We are only light bulbs", what we choose to do with the potential inside our life is a matter of what we do with that light God has given us. Will you stay in the box and never use what God gave you to share with others? Have you been screwed into the source of your power, but failed to turn the switch on, thus stifling the potential light you have to share? Or, are you a light sitting on a hilltop beaming out the light that God placed inside of you? If you are not that light bulb, you can be. Use what God gave you today, begin the journey that God intended you to traverse. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Shine on!

Coach Carter