Reflection
There is a line in the movie, Chariots of Fire (based on the true story of the 1924 Olympic Track Team for Great Britain) when a missionary and Olympian, Eric Liddell, is defending his competitive running: “When I run, I can feel God’s pleasure.”
A wonderful feeling of grace abounds when we are actively tuned into and using our God given talents. Talent displayed appropriately is inspiring. Spirit filled. It is affective and it touches hearts. To deny or withhold these gifts that we have received from God, is like putting them in a suitcase under the bed. They have no power to inspire us or others and cannot develop according to God’s plan. No-one can see them but God, who waits patiently for us to accept them and have the courage to share them. On the other hand, setting them out in plain sight, glorifies God, expresses gratitude and, in exercising them with humility and hard work, we become more and more adept. Grace builds on grace.
Later, in the movie, that same Olympic athlete discovers that his qualifying heat will be on a Sunday, and he refuses to run on The Lord’s Day. It made the headlines; he was giving up his chance to achieve the goal for which he had trained; he was living what he believed and what he professed to be, a follower of Christ, and he applied it to every aspect of his life. Ultimately, Eric Lidell was able to compete in a different race on another day, and he won the gold medal. God will never be outdone in generosity!
Living in the light of truth means that we have nothing to hide because we are living according to the way of Jesus, striving for holiness, loving others through small kindnesses, and sacrifices, laying down our lives joyfully. When the light is on everything is clearly seen. There is nothing hidden. We are seen for who we truly are.
Jesus is the lamp that guides our feet. When we walk upon the path illumined by him, his light will shine through us, and he gives us this precious gift of reflecting the light of his love, allowing us to participate in bringing others to him. But if we are living in the shadows, under the cover of darkness because we are not living a life that glorifies God, or if we fail to glorify him through our natural talents and the gift of faith, we cannot participate in bringing about the kingdom. No matter how much we justify things in our own minds and hearts, God sees all, and we have to change, and listen to the advice of Jesus: “Pay attention.”
Today we could ask ourselves: Do we magnify the Lord by using our gifts and talents? Do we bless others through our unique gifts? Do we really listen and allow Jesus to transform us, to light us up, to such a degree that others cannot help but notice and be blessed by the radiance of his light shining through us?