Historic, Beautiful and CRITICAL

Matthew 5
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

• I do not know very much about being a captain on a ship, but it seems technology has drastically changed the way they find their bearings while at sea. Previously relying on the stars to cross the sea and lighthouses to know they had arrived, they now have very sophisticated forms of communication and satellites that can display their position within a couple of yards.

• This puts lighthouses (and those that care for them) in a peculiar position. Previously built to provide a critical link in the connection between land and sea, lighthouses are now referred to as beautiful and historic. All down the coast, local groups spend time, effort, and money on preservation of their local lighthouse, and I applaud them for their effort.

• However, the plan for lighthouses can not be the model for our churches. We cannot spend our time, effort, and money on something that is beautiful, historic, and used to provide a critical task. Technology has not changed the desperate need human beings have to be loved, connected, instructed, and inspired. Jesus loved the people, connected them to one another, instructed them with his actions and words, and then inspired them to share it with others.

• We must acknowledge those that inspired us by letting their light shine so that we could see in the darkness. Our duty is to be that light in the darkness, that others will be drawn to us. In doing so, we ensure that the church will continue to be a critical link to God for those that are lost in our community.