Does Someone Want What You Have?

We are indeed the light of the world--but only if our switch is turned on.  John Hagee

As you know I love to play golf.  Many years ago my husband and I took a trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  This was a favorite place for us to go because it was not as commercialized as some of the resorts. 

On this trip we decided to take our golf clubs and stay at an all-inclusive golf resort. Some of the most beautiful golf courses are in the tropics.  So we lug our golf clubs to the airport and then to our resort.  We had never played golf at a resort like this.  We didn’t see another golfer on this course.  It was like we had the course to ourselves.  It was just us and the iguanas.  When you hit a shot out of the fairway, which in my case happened a lot, there was nothing but woods, iguanas and you.  I left a lot of golf balls on the course that day. 

So we are out there enjoying the beautiful day and the awesome scenery.  We came up to a fairway and I kid you not, I hit the best shot I had hit all day.  The fairway ran next to beautiful condominiums and private homes.  So as I said, I hit the best shot and it landed on the green.  My husband and I were both amazed.  I felt like Arnold Palmer or what Arnold Palmer must have felt like when he hit an awesome shot. 

So we are walking along the fairway when all of a sudden a dog ran out of one of the condominiums and started running across the fairway.  There was another dog hot on his heels.  The first dog runs onto the green, picks up my golf ball and takes off running. These two dogs start chasing each other around the green with my golf ball in the first dog’s mouth.  The one shot of the day where I might have had an extremely rare opportunity to beat my husband’s score, (on this one hole), a dog takes off with my golf ball.    

When I thought of this long ago incident, it reminded me of how this dog ran out with single minded purpose.  All he saw was the ball.  My husband and I are running up to the green telling him to drop it and he paid no attention to us.  When you think about how we can apply this to our lives, shouldn’t we be a light to others.  Our purpose on earth is to be a light to the lost.  People should be so drawn to us as this dog was drawn to my golf ball.  Others should be so drawn to the way we live so much so that they would want to know what we have that they don’t.  It’s kind of hard to be a light to the world when we are so often pursuing things of the world. 

The verse that struck me today is we are to take heed what we hear.  With the same measure we use, it will be measured to you. To you who hear, more will be given.  Notice it doesn’t say to you who buy or make more, more will be given.  How many of us are deaf to God’s calling.  Jesus spoke in parables.  I think the main reason was so that it would intrigue us enough that we would dig deeper and search harder for truth.  If your light is hidden under a basket, no one will seek what you have.  People won’t search for something they can’t see.   

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I still have a long way to go in hearing all the things You want to teach me.  Help me to be a light to others.  If my light is hidden under a bushel, I will never reach others on your behalf.  Please fill me with the Holy Spirit so that others can see You through me and then You will be glorified.  I want my light to shine brightly in a dark world. 

Scripture: Light Under a Basket
Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If  anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”  Mark 4:21-25

Jesus Use of Parables
And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. Mark 4:33-34