Servant-leadership: CONTROL YOURSELF – Does Your Light Shine?

Tomorrow is 11 December 2009 AD or 24 Kislev 5770 – the former the Christian date; the later the Jewish date.

Chanukah (Hanukah for us Gentiles) begins Friday. Our Jewish friends will kindle one light before sunset. This is done in celebration for the miracle of the Jewish temple’s menorah burning continuously for eight days from a one-day supply of sacred olive oil. The Maccabees, who stood up to their enemies, cleansed their temple, and in the face of certain punishment or death, took risks for their faith: those people and that miracle are now celebrated with the “Festival of Lights.”

That Temple Menorah pointed to the “light of the world” – now Christian believers. (Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world….” Jesus, the “true Light” gives that light to us to shine through us: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5: 16)

This is His season; for it is the Christ of Christmas that changed history, and he was Jewish. We should not forget that. He came for all humans, but he came within a particular time, from particular ancestry - as foretold in Scripture.

In our pluralistic society, controlling self has come to mean, for some, political correctness. Control your spiritual self, in other words. Bah humbug! Rubbish. This is the Christmas season. We celebrate the birth of the God/man who walked among us as a Jewish carpenter, proclaiming the good news, to the Jewish nation, that their long-awaited Messiah had come. The one who brought them the miracle of the menorah now completed the expression of God’s light by being with us in this life. "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:5)

This truly is the season of lights. Homes in our neighborhood are lit up – despite the recession. Inside and outside houses, malls, stores –even some businesses - sparkle with lights. Nice. But not important. The light that counts is His light in you.

What kind of light are you? Is your life glowing good works that glorify your Father in Heaven?


Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell