Why Light on a Lamp Stand?!

'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.' Matthew 5 v 15

This verse from Matthew is where I derived my Blog name from. This week the leader of Maranatha, Jeremy Francis, spoke about this verse and how it can be true in each of our lives and I realised that I had never truly explained why I had chosen this name for my Blog! So here's a Blogpost on the reason why!

Jesus spoke largely in stories, proverbs and parables as a way for the everyday man and woman to understand what he truly meant. To a group of uneducated farmers he spoke in terms of sheep and shepherds or sowing a field with seeds or working in a vineyard. These were all pictures which represented bigger aspects of faith, but became approachable due to the metaphors. The lamp was a daily aspect of life, due to the obvious lack of electricity, the lamp would often be the only source of light for a family for a long night. Jesus really shows how ludicrous it would be for a family to light their lamp and then hide the light- plunging their household into darkness but also chucking a lot of fuel and money down the drain. Instead, the family would place the light in the most prominent and obvious place in the room, allowing all people in the room to see what's in front of them.

So what does this metaphor actually mean to us in our daily lives?
'Don't hide your light under a bushel,' is one phrase often said to someone who may be quite shy and reserved meaning - 'don't hide what you've got to offer!' I think the British are possibly the worst people in the world at accepting a compliment or saying positive things about themselves. I think possibly some people feel the need to remind people how awful they are and that some how that makes them more holy! Feeling rubbish about yourself is not what God wants. According to God we are a new creation, we are 'fearfully and wonderfully made,' we are chosen and there doesn't need to be this negativity about ourselves. Part of putting the light on the lampstand is confessing who we are in Christ and that is not a negative thing- that is very, very, very positive!

Secondly, it is not being ashamed of Jesus. Jesus said: 'I am the light of the world,' so what greater light to put on a lampstand than him. As Jeremy said this week, it takes more effort to attempt to cover a light then it does to just allow it to shine. As Galatians 2:20 says, 'it is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me,' if we allow him he can take up shop within in us and we can just let him flow through our everyday actions. This will help us to love that homeless man on the streets who needs a cup of coffee, or speak to the lady on the bus who obviously needs someone to talk to. If we attempt to stop and squash this light within us not only does it require a huge amount of energy, but it isn't the best thing for us. Just allow him to work through you and as the Christian band Delirious once sung:

'I'm not ashamed of the Gospel, I'm not ashamed of the one I love!'

It's about relationship and allowing Jesus to use you for good and great things.

 


The reason I have 'Lightonalampstand' as my Blog name is because I really want this Blog to shine out what is within me. I don't want to hide the fact that I am a Christian and have a relationship with Jesus and one of the best ways to tell people about this in a way which is approachable and not scary for both parties is to share via the massive world that is the internet. Hopefully these Blogposts challenge you to look at the world in a slightly different way, and if just one person does this then job done as far as I'm concerned. Keep seeking. Peace out. <3