This little light
You may recognize the title as the first words of a children’s Sunday School song. In case you aren’t familiar with it, the first line is:
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
As you will recognize, it is a direct reference to the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:
“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. (Mattew 5:14-16)
The song goes on to talk about how the singer will let it shine. There are quite a number of versions of the lyrics. Some of them get quite un-Biblical, and some use the song to promote political activity.
For now we’ll just ignore all that, if that’s okay. We’ll stick with the lyrics as I’ve known them. Each verse repeats (multiple times) the intention to let the little light shine. And each verse has one unique line, which is also repeated:
Hide it under a bushel, no! I'm gonna let it shine.
Won't let anyone blow it out. I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine till Jesus comes, I'm gonna let it shine.
When the kids sing this, they may not have a real grasp of what they are promising. But the adults who sing along with them ought to. It’s so easy to sing words like this with our mouth but without the brain engaged. However we should recognize –these words are a promise.
Let’s pay attention to what we’re saying. We claim to have a “little light”. The “little” is appropriately humble, but nevertheless we say we have been lit. In other words we accept the charge of bearing Jesus’s light. Remember, he is the light of the world (John 8:12). So if he says we are the light, then it can only be because he has lit us—as one lamp can be lit by holding the wick next to an already burning lamp.
In song we promise to “let it shine”. To not let it be hidden “under a basket”. We can’t be an anonymous light. We promise to put the light on display, as he says, in our own behavior. Visibly, noticeably doing good—with the result that someone (we hope) will give glory to God.
There are gusts of wind, and even deliberate attempts to snuff out the lamp. We promise we won’t let that happen. We will continue to let it shine until Jesus comes, a whole lifetime for most.
Are we really prepared to make this promise? I think we are, and we do, when we’re baptized. How are we doing at keeping the promise? That’s a fairly good question, isn’t it? Something to take a moment to think about.
A simple children’s song? Can be that and nothing more, if we don’t think about what we’re saying. With brain engaged, it can be more. Might become a tune that sticks in our head, and every time it comes around we have a reminder to ask, “Am I letting it shine?”
Love, Paul
