Just a candle

 

Insecurity, shyness, loneliness, not quite fitting in. All too often one meets people who, for one reason or another, feel that they are left out from what this world has to offer.

They may well be part of a group of friends at work, or at school, college or university, but yet they feel that they don’t quite fit in somehow. They are not the centre of attention – the funny one that everyone admires, the intelligent one, or the artistic or athletic one. They may well be part of the group all-right, but they are on the sidelines. The one who never quite gets noticed!

Such inner loneliness and insecurity can be crushing and can so easily suffocate one’s soul and one’s potential. 

Ah, look at all the lonely people. Where do they all come from? All the lonely people. Where do they all belong? (The Beatles)

The world is full of isolated people. People who, for one reason or another, are distanced from God.

I'll tell you where they all belong. I'll answer the question asked in that song. 

They belong to the Kingdom of God. They were all created by God, a loving Father, who would dearly wish they made their way back to Him in Heaven some day.

But a lot of them are lost souls. Wandering aimlessly here and there, earning a living perhaps, looking after their families, busying themselves with life, dealing with what problems and tragedies come their way, struggling through one crisis or another or whatever else has been dealt them in this lottery we call life.

Yet, despite their many ups and downs in life, they all belong to the Kingdom of God. If only they knew how to get there.

How about you? What is your role in all this? As a self-proclaimed Christian do you have a responsibility towards the lost multitudes of the modern age?

I believe we all have a duty to be a guiding light in this dark and sombre world. To be a tiny flame from a candle which slowly but surely can lights away the gloom and obscurity in many a soul. A light, which, amongst many others can be a beacon showing the way back home.

We are all role models for others. Good role models, or bad ones. We never know who is watching us and is influenced by our behaviour or what we say. We may be parents, teachers, lawyers, doctors, bus drivers or whatever else we have been entrusted to do in life. There is always someone watching and perhaps considering emulating our example. Whether it is good or not.

We don't all have to be preachers, writers, standing in street corners handing out leaflets, or knocking from door-to-door. 

All we need to do is live our lives as Christians. That's the difficult bit. But still worth trying.

Can you imagine, if by the way we live, someone, somewhere gets to know God and share in His love?