Christmas Lights Shine

from The Creative Supplies on Threads

There’s something about Christmas lights that people are drawn to.

We put up lighted Christmas trees 🎄 in our homes, and sit in the early morning with a cup of coffee ☕ or late in the evening with a good book 📖 so we can enjoy the tree’s light.

We put up lights outside our home to provide joy and cheer to our neighbors and our community in a dark season.

We drive around to different communities and special attractions to look at the best light displays, some of them free and some costing a pretty penny, so we can be in awe at how beautiful the lights are.

We’re drawn to light in dark seasons.

Is our world and our society metaphorically in a dark season right now? I certainly think so. Nor do I need to enumerate the ways that our world seems dark — it’s a self-evident point.

Jesus had things to say about being a light in a dark place. In Matthew 5:14–16, he told His disciples and followers:

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 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.”

Here’s my adaptation of that message for us in the Christmas season:

“You are a light at Christmas time. A lighted Christmas tree that is set on display cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a Christmas tree puts in a closet, but in a prominent room, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 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.”

I’ve been thinking about this over the past few days as we get into the Christmas and Advent seasons. Am I a light that people are drawn to? I think I want to be a Christmas light this season.

I’ll be honest — it’s not something that comes particularly naturally to me, nor is it always easy. I can be grumpy, and tired, and moody, and frustrated, and all kinds of difficult feelings. But I’ll keep coming back to this analogy of the Christmas lights, and I think it will help keep me in the right spirit.

2025-12-05 · Christmas