Lamp Under A Basket

Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Matthew 5:15

“Would you believe I was once shy, too?” I replied to the young woman.

It was after last Sunday’s service. It was her second time attending our church. She had brought her grandmother, her 11 year old sister, 8 year old niece, and her 3 young children.

I haven’t known her for long, but she was changed, she looked lighter, her eyes brighter, almost child-like, excited, hungry, hopeful.

We’d met through our sons’ soccer team. I had introduced myself to her and the other mothers the first few minutes of the very first practice. There are only a few of us mothers that attend practices. Mostly dad’s.

She was shy. She would sit away from the other parents. Head down, face focused on the phone in her hand. I would always say hello. Slowly add more to the conversation each week. Several practices later, the Wednesday of Holy Week, I told her to bring her chair next to mine so I could better talk to her. She beamed and quickly scooted right next to me. There it was. The break in the wall. Connection. Conversation.

I asked her simple questions. “How was your day” turned into her pouring out her testimony. Her life had been hard. She was a survivor. She was exhausted. She needed a community.

So I asked her the question every single Christian woman should be asking every single person they meet.

Do you have a church family?

She came to church on Resurrection Day. She brought her family. They came back the next Sunday. And she waited for me outside the church.

“Well, what do you think?” I asked her.

With child-like excitement she spilled out to me.

“It’s like nothing I’ve ever experience!”

She explained to me that she grew up in church, but she had not been in several years.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever felt God in church. Like He’s there, inside there, it’s amazing!”

Then she said this. And it about broke me…

“Thank you for inviting us. Thank you for talking to me at soccer practice. Thank you for inviting me to sit next to you. It’s the first time anyone has ever talked to me at these type of things...”

That last part took the breath from me.

How am I the only one who has ever talked to this woman?

With all the Christian women walking among us, in this community alone, how am I the only one that has ever invited this woman to sit next to them? How am I the only one that has ever asked her about her life? How am I the only one that has ever invited her to church?

What the literal HELL are we doing, Christian women? Where are you?!

Hidden.

Hidden under a basket.

It’s there. Inside us. But, boy, do we hide it from the world.

Everywhere, I watch Christian women walk around with gloom faces. Not a single smile for a stranger. Or a simple, pleasant word to a fellow woman in their midst. Or an invitation to join them in conversation. Hiding behind phones. Busy with kids. Chatting with friends. Or avoiding others altogether.

Hiding their light.

What about a park. Do you speak to the other mothers? Or do you hide your light?

What about the grocery store? Do you hide your light there?

Not inside the church on Sundays. We’ll gladly remove the basket. Letting our lights beam brightest for our fellow church-goers.

Not at Bible Study. Lights shine bright there.

Mission trips. Blinding.

Among friends, people we know, people we’re comfortable around. Unhidden.

Lights shine bright in the right moments. The ones where we feel comfortable. Where the stage is set. Be a Christian here. Not over there.

Not at the store. Not at the park. Not at the ball field.

We hide our light.

Because its easier.

To carry the light of Christ unhidden is a burden. It is heavy. It is uncomfortable.

To put on a smiling face when inside we had a rough day, or we’ve got a long to-do list, or we’re worried about all the things in our own lives.

It is not easy to focus on others that have nothing to do with our lives.

It does not come easy to ask others questions about themselves.

Because we are selfish by nature.

We don’t desire to know others. To meet new people. To hear their stories.

A smiling face may lead to a hello that may lead to asking questions that may lead to a person’s story that may lead to us having a great responsibility to inviting that person to church that may lead to that person being saved that may lead to their family being made whole again that may lead to generations being restored that will lead to the knowing that you did God’s will.

That light. Your light. That one that you hide, sister, under the basket. It is not yours. It is not you. It is God’s light you hide. It is given to us. It is entrusted to us. It is a great honor. An eternal duty.

Can you imagine how He feels when we hide it?

Satan has convinced us to hide our light. He tells us, we don’t have the right personalities to let it shine just anywhere… “I’m not outgoing. I’m not articulate or intelligent enough. I’m not the friendly type. I’m not a people-person. I have social anxiety. I don’t like talking to people. I’m an introvert. Loner. Homebody. I’m just too shy.”

“…I wish I was like you. I wish I could go up to people and just start talking to them. I’m just too shy.” The young woman added.

And I responded, “Can you believe I was once shy? Yes, yes, my whole life! In new situations, where I didn’t know anyone, I kept quiet. I kept to myself. Waited for someone more outgoing to invite me over…”

I went on to explain that when I was saved a few years ago, Jesus freed me from any social anxiety.

When God put His light inside me, I was on fire!

He changed my heart radically. I want to talk to everyone now. I want to know everyone’s story. I want to smile at every mother so that she knows that someone sees her. I want to say hello to every woman so that she knows that someone cares about her. I want to invite her over to sit with me so that she knows she belongs. I want to minister to her so that she knows that she can choose freedom too. I want to show love to her so that she knows that she has a father in heaven that loves her unconditionally. I want to be the answer to a prayer. I want to be a light in at least one person’s day every single day.

Because that’s what Jesus would have me do.

Look, I’m not a people person. I’m not naturally outgoing. I am a homebody. I very much enjoy staying in the comfort of my own little world. I still get a little nervous when I introduce myself to someone new. It took some time (and practice) to have more organic conversations with people. Boy, was I awkward for a while there. I learned to just ask questions. It’s not so hard.

Smile, say hello, ask how their day was, sit with them, listen, connect.

At the very least, my sister, walk through this world with a light so bright they may know who you are, they may see God that day, they may feel Him even if it is a passing moment when you look into a stranger’s eyes.

Do not hide your light under a basket.

~Casey