Lamps

Recently, we were at a church and I needed a small table for a prop.  We were doing one of our shows.  I went out into the lobby and found just what I needed.  They had a cozy little seating area with a couch, some chairs and two tables with lamps.  I didn't think they would mind, so helped myself.


When we are doing shows and need props that we haven't carried with us, I can usually find what we need at the church.  This was no exception.  However, I don't always get a story to share.  This time I did.


As I leaned over the lamp to sit it in the floor my eyes just naturally went to the top of the lamp where you can see the bulb.  Guess what?  No bulb!  Then I looked at the one on the other side of the couch.  No bulb.  Hm-m-m-m-m!  Interesting, I thought.  What good is a lamp if there is no bulb?


I remembered the parable Jesus told when He said that you don't light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand so that it sheds light.  A light is meant to shed light!  What is the purpose of a lamp sitting on a table with no bulb?  Is it merely for show?


There are lots of pretty lamps in our world.  There are lots of nice couches, and cozy little seating areas, but if the couch just sits there and no one ever sits on it, what purpose does it serve.  If there are pretty lamps sitting on pretty tables, but there is no bulb, what purpose does it have?  And if one sits a book down on the table and it just gathers dust, what good is it?  


You might say...well, it looks pretty - It looks welcoming - It invites people to sit and relax and perhaps carry on a conversation or read a book. 


It all goes back to the light bulb.


Lamps are meant to be lit.  If there is no bulb in them, they cannot be lit.


We are meant to be light to a dark world.  Let's be sure we not only have our light bulb in but that it is turned on!

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