I was sitting in my recliner chair with my grandson sitting on my lap. Reid had just turned two years old, and we were looking at his birthday pictures. The week before, his mother and father had taken him out of town to celebrate his birthday with his other grandparents and aunts and uncles.
Unknown to the others at the birthday party, one of the young uncles had put non-extinguishable candles on Reid’s birthday cake. These candles are the kind that keep relighting by themselves. When it was time for Reid to blow out the candles, he blew on them with a mighty blow, and they all went out. But a few seconds later, the two candles were burning brightly again! He blew again, and the same thing happened—each candle suddenly had a bright flame again and continued to burn.
Upset, Reid began to cry. His mother scolded her brother and changed to regular candles on the cake. Once more Reid gave a mighty blow, and both candles went out ... and stayed that way.
As Reid and I looked through the pictures, we came to one showing the pretty decorated cake with the two candles shining brightly and a little boy crying. As we looked at the sad picture, I said, “Couldn’t you blow out the candles, Reid?” “No,” he wailed and began crying again. I comforted him and told him that sometimes people like to play tricks on someone, not realizing they are going to upset the person, and they are sorry afterwards.
When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:1212Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)). For over two thousand years, Satan, the enemy of our souls, has been trying to extinguish that light, but he has not succeeded. The light of the gospel is still shining in this dark world, and souls are being saved every day.
When Reid was a little older, he confessed to Jesus that he was a sinner and needed Him to wash his sins away. What the Word of God says in 2 Corinthians 4:66For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) became true for Reid: “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
As believers, we are to display that light: “[You] were sometimes darkness, but now are [you] light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:88For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8)). Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:1616Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)).
When Reid graduated from college, he became friends with a girl who did not know the story of Jesus. He began to tell her that God loved her so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for her so that her sins could be washed away.
One evening when Reid went to visit her, she met him at the door with good news. She said, “Last night I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Saviour.” How happy they both were! He was happy because he had let his light shine in telling her the way to be saved. And she was happy because she now had the light of Jesus Christ in her soul. They were eventually married and are happily going on as lights for the Lord Jesus, telling family and friends about their Saviour.
If you are already saved, don’t hide your candle under something: “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a [basket], but on a candlestick; and it [gives] light unto all that are in the house” (Matthew 5:1515Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (Matthew 5:15)). This is one time when it’s good to have a candle shining brightly that can’t be extinguished.
ML-05/30/2010