Letting Our Light Shine
Letting Your Light Shine
If COVID-19 has taught me anything it is that the church needs to lead. The Church needs to be a light in the darkness. This whole epidemic has exposed our fear, caution, and lack of leadership. This is an opportunity for the Church to lead.
This brings me to the verse I want to look at today:
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”.
Matthew 5:16
The goal of the Church and its efforts should be to bring hope and life to a world that is out of sorts and disoriented.
Have you ever been in the woods in the middle of nowhere with no light? As an avid fly fisher, I spent lots of time in remote places. I also spend a lot of time chasing bug hatches to try and catch the bugs and fish at the perfect time. There is no better time to do this than during the famous Green Drake hatch in Central Pennsylvania and especially on Penn’s Creek. This hatch is best fished in the dark.
Six years ago, when I was new to fly-fishing, I traveled up to Penn’s Creek by myself to a state campground to go and fish this famous hatch. This campground is very secluded - you need to take a 14-mile dirt road to access it. There is no cell service, no bathrooms with running water and just a couple marked spigots to get water.
I was not that familiar with the trails yet but decided to wander upstream to fish. I got so caught up in chasing fish and bugs that I lost track of the fact that I was extremely far from the camp and it was pitch black outside. I came out of the water and could not find the trail and I began to panic. I had a small headlamp, but it was not bright enough. The only thing I could see was a little light extremely far off. I slowly stumbled through the woods even though I was disoriented and afraid the light gave me comfort. I followed this light all the way and finally made it to the dirt road and back to the campsite.
I think a lot of us are looking for this light to find our way back to a new normal in this pandemic. I believe that the church is this light.
On Saturday at one of our weekly deliveries for Easter Outreach a community nonprofit leader said about volunteering: “At first it was scary, even though we were talking all the precautions it, it was risky but necessary. As always, the churches are out there doing what risky. Once people see this, they realize it’s worth the risk to be a benefit to your neighbor.”
This to me sums up what being a light and leading at this time looks like. We must be out there offering real hope to real people. To lead we must take risks we must put others ahead of ourselves. This is what it means to follow Jesus during the pandemic. Leading by example. Fear is removed when we step out and love in radical ways, we become a light of others. My desire is to have every vulnerable person in Philadelphia cared for so that the Church can shine a light and bring glory to our Father in heaven.
Personal Note
In all honesty, I am tired. This has been a sprint and I need to begin to shift focus to the long game. Easter Outreach is almost three months in and getting food to people who really need it in safe ways can be taxing. It is also difficult to keep so many different groups of people working together. In all of this, I am thankful for the work I can do. I am thankful for the way the Lord has gifted me in being able to bring such diverse groups together. I am also thankful that my wife understands the importance and that we are in communication and agreement about God’s call in our family during COVID-19.
Prayer Requests
For monthly support for me and family. With all my time devoted to responding to the crisis, I have not had time to schedule meetings for support. This is critical since the work I engage in is incredibly stressful and pulls me from my family. I cannot also be stressed about personal support it is just too much. So, what I am asking is if you have not supported me or my family or have come across extra income could you please consider supporting me and my family.
Pray for continued partnership with Easter Outreach and unity across the region. This can be a huge witness to others as well as helping keep people safe and getting food to them.
Pray for Emmanuel the leadership team has been holding together our takeout service weekly. We are committed to serving our homeless friends. We are still serving around 150 people weekly.
