This Little Light of Mine

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.


I can guarantee that all of us know at least a little bit of this song and started humming along to it. (OK well maybe only I do that...) But have we really thought about what it means?

Now I'm an overthinker. It's true. Maybe I need Overthinkers Anonymous. Like, "My name's Natasha. I checked the front door lock 7 times before I went to bed last night as I thought of 7 different bad things that could happen if it was unlocked." So of course I'm going to over think a children's song. Or maybe just really try and mean the words I'm saying.

First of all to have a light to shine, we need....*drum roll* a light. If there is no light...there's no light to shine. As previously stated I overthink. So when going to the basement to check the basement door lock I need to make sure every light in the entire house is on. (Of course). And I usually take a flashlight if I can find one "just in case". (In case of what...I'm not sure.) Anyway, the point is is I won't go anywhere without light. When playing flashlight tag as a kid I always wanted to be "it" secretly so I could have the light. Going out without light is just too scary for me. I don't like not being able to see the random spider webs or creepy crawly things or monsters that could potentially be waiting to attack me in the dark. The light is the key to driving away all the bad things that could be there. ( In my mind at least)

So why would I want to go anywhere without the most important light in my life. The internal light. If physical light is the key to driving away the scary, bad stuff in the physical life, then the internal light must be the light to driving away all the bad stuff I can't see. Right? Sometimes for me it's like I feel like I can manage without something there to back me up. Almost like a mental, "It's ok God...I totally got this one." Where as in reality I would be so totally lost without him shining through me every second of every day. Am I always a good or even mediocre vessel for his light? No. Do I try to every second of every day....sometimes. When it's convenient. Now I am totally making myself sound like a horrible person and laying it out there in the hopes that at least one person can relate to what I am saying.

The faith we all had when we learnt about our little light and wanting to shine it was honestly probably a lot strong for some of us than our faith now is. I feel as though I have grown past that a little bit in the 15 years since I learnt that. Sometimes.

Another interesting fact about light (brace yourselves for another very ground breaking idea) is that if there is already a flood of light in the area...one candle isn't going to do that much. This week I am babysitting all week (hence the compulsive door checking) for two kids. The girl started turning on every light in the house when we got home today and after accomplishing that, started on the lamps. I yelled into the living room, "You know that little light there isn't going to do much difference with the big light on...might as well just turn it off!" Her reply? "No it's not really that bright in here....it just looks bright because you know the big light is on...it's really full of shadows everywhere!" (then followed by a debate of how much light she really needed to play legos.)

And it clicked.

Living room=America.

Big light=Church in America. Christians in America.

Lamp=Christians in America.

We all think that there is this big flood light of spirituality on America today and that we don't need to do much. So our reliance on God decreases and eventually we just let our light go out as we see it as "not necessary". But in reality there is so much darkness left in our country. Actually in our entire world. America has a lot more "light" in it than some countries but it doesn't mean the darkness is completely gone. To one person living in the shadows, our little light could be the light needed to change their life.

Light in light isn't nearly as effective as light in darkness.


In some Arab countries the people do not know one Christian. Think of all the darkness there. To that dark area our light would shine so much brighter through the darkness than in the areas already brightly lit. Think of the impact all of our lights could make if we only utilized our ability to 1.) get a light through the grace freely given to us and 2.) use our lights in the darkness.

The darkness of the world seems so scary. And as someone who hates not having light, it is almost petrifying at times. But God has called me to those dark places. So I'll go. And take my little light with me and watch as God turnes it into a wildfire for him and his glory. So you might be saying ok well I'm not called out of our brightly lit country. Well that doesn't give you the right to be stingy with your light. There is darkness here! And hello! when's the last time you prayed for those who live without the knowledge that there a light offered to them. Can't you take a few moments and utilize your light through prayer?


This is my challenge to you as the reader and me as the writer....to not hide our lights. I challenge us all to post on Facebook in a way that sheds light to others not negativity, text a friend letting them know your thinking about them, pray for a country in darkness, a friend, a relative, a neighbor or the person driving down the highway in front of us on the way to work.

Anything to get our lights re-lit for the world and not under a bushel.

Shine your lights with me. And let me know how your reaching out with yours!