Be a Lamplighter!

I was so convicted and encouraged by a wonderful woman's conference I attended this past weekend. At the end of the session, we were challenged with the question: "Will you live a life that counts? A life that counts would long to make much of the glory of God." Our purpose every day should be to bring glory to God.

Our world, however, often seeks to attribute anything good to anyone or anything else other than the Lord. And how often our (translate, "my") prideful tendency is to want the glory for ourselves. Does anyone notice all that laundry I've folded or the hard work I put into that ridiculously difficult "30 minute meal" (I suppose superman could cook it in 30 minutes--but he would still have a 3 hour clean up). How quickly I can slip into the desire to be thanked and praised for my puny efforts, and suddenly God is left entirely out of the equation. Who gave me the ability to make that meal or drive that car or accomplish that task? Who gave me energy or desire or focus? I should never tire of continually giving Him glory with a thankful heart, even for my next breath.

Needless to say, that is why this blog is named Solideogloria--my heart's desire every single day is that He would be glorified in all that I do, all that I say, and in all that I think. If that is not our ultimate purpose in everything we do, then our efforts will be futile and will result in frustration rather than fulfillment. And that is so contrary to God's purpose for us--to live joyful, purposeful, satisfied lives as we enjoy Him and walk with Him each day.

As I contemplated what it meant to live to bring God glory, I couldn't help but think of one of my very favorite little illustrations I heard years ago. (and I may have already shared it--but don't we all need to be reminded of these things? I know I do!) It's a simple (and true) description of an old lamplighter as told by Sir Harry Lauder, the famed Scottish humorist from the late 19th and early 20th century. Here are his words:

"I was sitting in the gloanin' and a man passed by the window. He was the lamplighter. He pushed his pole into the lamp and lighted it. Then he went to another and another. Now I didn't see him. But I knew where he was by the lights as they broke out down the street, until he had left a beautiful avenue of light. Ye are a lamplighter. They'll know where ye've been by the lights ye have lit."

What a beautiful description of how we should be living our lives as believers! We are all lamplighters! We should be lighting the way everywhere we go by our love, our joy, our faith. When we are living for the glory of God in all we do and say, then we are lighting lamps that will leave the warm glow of the light of Christ in every place we have been. Do others see the reflection of His glorious light trailing behind us or do they see our selfishness, hypocrisy, or pridefulness? If we are living for the glory of God, we cannot help but be lamplighters!

Today, be a lamplighter--purposefully seek to live for the glory of God. Jesus revealed that He is "the Light of the World. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) And Psalm 27:1 declares "The Lord is my Light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?" He is our Light, so we need never walk in the darkness of fear and despair. As we live for His glory, might we be lamplighters reflecting His glorious Light in every dark corner of our world. To our gracious, saving, powerful Light of the Word, be all the glory!