The Power of Your Light

Learning to act when prompted.

As part of a college course I was taking years ago, we had a professor guide our class into a hollow of underground caves just outside of town. An intermittent series of personal flashlights led our way; the cones of light bouncing off the cold, echoing walls.

At one point, just beyond the glimmer of the entrance’s natural light, the professor stopped and had us gather into a circle. He encouraged those students with feelings of anxiety to hold the elbow of the person next to them. He then had us extinguish our flashlights and be as silent as possible, letting the cold, dank darkness of the caves envelope us.

The eery feeling of pure darkness, with the accompanying echos of minute sounds, caused my heart to race a little. I could feel my classmates around me, along with their subtle movements and shallow breathing.

In the midst of the darkness, I heard a brief scratching noise. The professor light a single, wooden match. The match light was brilliant. It glowed and exposed the faces of those in the circle and gave a degree of comfort as our eyes adjusted to it’s glow.

The professor offered the simple comment, “This is how powerful one match can be in the darkness.” He left us to ponder the thought and ingest its personal implications.

Religious texts tell us to not hide our lights under a bushel. Referring to our light as a testimony of our beliefs, we are to let our “light shine” for the world to see.

When reading or contemplating this passage, my literal interpretation is that of a light being deprived of oxygen, a light desperately pulling any air available through the tiny spaces in the woven basket; its attempt to breathe life into its flame.

The light to me represents my faith. It represents those things that are at my core and sustain me every day. They are my beliefs. More importantly, they represent to what degree I’m committed to these core values through my actions.

The light others may see should not be hoisted up for gaudy, public display. It is not burning in an attempt to garner attention, for attention’s sake. It is simply the byproduct of what I hope my life reflects.

I’ve observed great individuals, women and men whose light is better described as a bonfire. They’ve not only built their life through study and inflection, they’ve put their light into play through service and sharing this light with others.

For many of these individuals, their light is expressed through quiet gestures of reaching out to those in need, physically and emotionally. It is the service of acting when prompted to do so.

I once heard a person ask a religious figure what set them apart from the everyday person, the individual humbly commented, “When prompted, I act. I don’t second-guess, I act then and there on the prompting.”

This difference — the willingness to “act” when “prompted” — seems to be the key. Being in the moment. Having prepared yourself to be ready for those prompts; turning your gaze outward versus inward, being selfless.

The interesting result — as I contemplate those who have wholly embraced this type of service — is these individuals seem deeply happy. Not just “smile, life is pretty good” happy, but deeply happy throughout their being. It exudes from them.

In meeting these individuals you can’t help but instantly enjoy their company. You smile at their handshake. You can feel of their good intentions. There is a warm, comforting exuding from the presence.

How do we approach this same state of being? What steps do we take? Are there sacrifices that must be made?

My first thought in growing my own light is to refer back to words “act when prompted.” I tend to overanalyze my thoughts, deconstructing the prompt and attempting to make worldly sense of it (sound familiar?).

Instead, I should take the first step and act on this prompt. Trust that this prompt was meant for me to act, not to sit back analyze. This simple response will add a bit of kindling to my light, prompting it to grow.

Need a little push in growing your light?

As you’re reading this, I’m fairly confident in saying that you’ve thought of someone specific. You may have even thought or been promtped of a specific act related to them. This act may be small. This act could be as simple as, “I should call…” Or, “I should stop by and see…”

There it is! There’s your first step!

Now GO and DO! 
Grow your LIGHT!