This Little Light

I was so blessed by the MEI Secondary musical production entitled “This Little Light”.  Students worked with director, Cody Friesen and his team, to write and produce something new and unique for presentation this spring. The format included a warmup with the new MEI Improv Team that had us all smiling and laughing. Improv Teams risk crossing the line in their presentations and ours was able to be super funny while keeping it classy and professional. Well done! 

Then came the stories inspired by our students' lives. There was one student who felt like she was from Pluto and visiting Earthlings that simply didn’t understand her. Another story was about a girl who needed a friend to help confront the bottled emotions of not knowing a dad by whom she felt abandoned. Another story which continued the flow of tears was of a girl who lost her mother to cancer; the stage was filled with her peers telling the story of her loss as she silently stood in the middle. Two boys sang a duet about a friendship that was forged from what was described as a life-changing decision to join choir. All of these and other powerful stories were shared from the pivot of letting our own precious lights shine despite our frailties, imperfections, and the challenges that we face.

I was reminded of the woman whom Jesus encountered drawing water at a well in Samaria. She certainly wasn’t seen as perfect or even worthy by many.  In spite of the world’s view of her, Jesus loved her and spoke life into her. The woman went to the town and let her light shine: “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” The result was that “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did’” (John 4:29,39).

Here is a line that one student spoke in the production “This Little Light” which has stuck with me:  “I find people trying to use complicated words, dense theology and opinionated tones to communicate what they believe and their convictions. Sometimes, a simple phrase can communicate the power of the Gospel in ways none of us could imagine.”

God has put you and me, friends, in just the right place to make an impact for His glory. I’m convinced that broken hearts will be mended and lives will find their purpose, not because of how intelligent or convincing we are, but rather because of how passionate and humbly surrendered to God that we are.

Let’s allow our ‘Little Lights’ to shine Truth, Grace, and Love through each simple Spirit-filled, and Spirit-led phrase and action.

May God bless you!