Lights that Burn Brightly
Luke records an incident where John the Baptist was answering questions from those who came to be baptized. “Some soldiers were questioning him saying, ‘And what about us, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages†(Luke 3:14 emphasis added). In other words, be happy with what you have been given. Period. These men were concerned not only about the positions they held but also about the money they were receiving for the work they did.
When analyzing this passage, the editor for The Biblical Illustrator puts it this way: “It is not so much the large stars shining on a dark night that makes the sky luminous, but the multitude of little ones, all doing their best in their separate places. There are comparatively few of the large ones—not enough by any means to light up the infinite reaches of space between us and them—and so here is the need of the little ones.†John was admonishing these men to learn how to think differently.
Are you content where God has placed you? Or are you always “looking beyond†to another position you wish you had? Being content does not mean you stop growing, believing in the future, setting goals, and dreaming godly dreams. It means you have a sense of gratitude for what He has given you, and you are settled in the spot where He has placed you at this point in time.
Actually, His instruction could simply include these words: “Be content in Me. Your mission is as important as the one who seems to have a larger light.†Though yours may not be as big, it shines just as bright! Therefore, set your heart on being steady and remaining in your appointed place, making all the light you can. And never forget: in the eyes of God, your star is just as important as the one that is larger in diameter.
There are many things about Dr. and Mrs. Forrest’s lives that are noteworthy—ideals we could treasure for a lifetime. But one of the things that stands out above all else was their commitment to obey God—in season and out of season—when it was popular with the masses and when it was not. Read through all that they have written and you will never find one scripted line to indicate anything other than humble hearts that were grateful for the lives they touched each day for Jesus Christ.
It’s obvious that their lights were not as large as many men and women of their day, which included A. B. Simpson, Hudson Taylor, Charles Spurgeon, Amy Carmichael, Oswald Chambers, and A. W. Tozer. These men and women appeared to have much larger lights—but not from God’s viewpoint. The fact is: Dr. and Mrs. Forrest’s lights burned just as brightly, and they passed theirs on to countless young people. Those lights still burn ever so brightly around the world.
Taken from the online devotional A Present Peace © 2009 tfchistory.com