“This little light of mine, I’m gonna to let it shine.” Easy to sing as a child, hard to trust as a parent. Kelli comes along side us to remind us of the value of sending our kids out equipped to be a light in our world.

Scripture

Let your light shine, so that all can see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. 

Matthew 5:16

Reflect

It is a bit unnerving to see our children take their place in the dark world.  The world that we know has less that favorable things to offer.   But it is the world that the Lord spoke about way before we were even a part of it.   Christ followers are the light of the world … a town on the hill that cannot be hidden … the light that is not put under a bushel, but put on a stand for all to see.  That means you, me, and our children have the honor to let our lights shine so others see Jesus.

So how do we, as parents, guide our children to be lights in the darkness?             

1. Equip them. Open up God’s Word and discover together what it says about being in the world but not of the world. Share with them your experiences … even the bad ones and how you would have handled things differently. Find a mentor who can talk through situations with them. We do all of these things when we send them out to a sports field (tell our tales, read the rules, get the best coach) …let’s do the same for them as they head out in to the mission field of life.
2. Listen to them.  Let them process with you. Don’t react harshly or abruptly.  Ask a few questions and give advice when needed. And encourage them.  Oh, encourage them … the world fails miserably at letting our kids know they are doing a great job.
3. Give them a safe place.   Whether it is a couch to plop down on, a huge hug, a youth group or the house where everyone is welcome to walk in the door … give your kiddos a safe refuge from the world. One without condemnation or comparison, without guilt and temptation.  One with grace and truth and a big bowl of ice cream if needed.

As we stood in the pitch black, dark cave 180 feet below the ground at Natural Bridge Caverns, dark was redefined.  And then, without warning our guide turned on a flashlight and every single eye went directly to that small light.   The glow of light was all we could see, and that guide was our hero. 

Why would we ever want our children or ourselves to miss out on being the one shining Christ’s light in a dark world?

Camper Corner

• Who do you know that shines for Christ in our town?   How do they do that?
• When is it hardest for you to do the right thing around the wrong situation?
• Where is one area this week that you can be a light in a dark world?