Light Up, Soul Sisters!
By Pamela Blattner
“You are the light of the world.”
Matthew 5:14
By Pamela Blattner
“You are the light of the world.”
Matthew 5:14
I love the way God shows us, in the everyday-ness of life, unexpected ways that His Kingdom works. I remember being at a local food store in the Oconomowoc area. David, a young man with Down’s Syndrome, worked as a grocery store bagger for years! Each day, David smiled at the customers and wished us a good day. We were then thanked for coming in and shopping there.
There were times it seemed that there was a longer line at his checkout; there were times I wanted to be in his line. His smile was contagious! Even the employees seemed to “catch it” and greet customers with a smile and friendly words.
David didn’t own the grocery store or even supervise anyone. He probably didn’t make a huge salary or have a very high IQ. But he sure influenced the people of that place to be happier, caring, and a bit nicer to each other. He never thought of himself as too important to be of service to the patrons of the store.
When I think of David, I recall what Jesus said in Matthew 23:11: “The greatest among you will be your servant.” After seeing David in the store, I noticed that he consistently greeted the customers and made conversation about the little things he remembered from previous visits to the store. Not only was he was an encourager, he served selflessly and was the one who would gladly retrieve the grocery carts in the rain.
David reminds me of what Jesus calls us to do: to share our love in serving in whatever capacity so that we can help people experience the heart of Christ. Jesus is the true light of the world, and He wants us to be lights that reflect Him in the place in the world we’re in. There’s no one on this earth who can do what each of us individually has been gifted to do. We’re all unique and called to do something special for the Lord, and to bring His warmth and light to others. Wouldn’t it be great to let Jesus’ love shine through us to the people we meet today?
GOING DEEPER:
1. It may be the littlest things that we do to bless others that could make the greatest difference for God’s Kingdom. What could you do today to make a positive difference in someone’s life?
FURTHER READING:
Matthew 5:16; John 8:12
Pam and her husband Richard have two adult children and two grandchildren. She serves Oakwood through its Family Care and Touched Twice Ministries.
