LEAVE THE LIGHT ON!

By Pastor David Fauss

Thomas Edison left his world a brighter place by inventing the carbon
filament light bulb. In 1879 no other inventor had devised a light that
could be produced commercially with any success. What a difference his
contribution has made. No other invention has effected our lives, no
doubt, as much as this one. With half our 24-hour day blanketed with
darkness, the light bulb has changed our world.

I have noted in the planning of construction, both commercial and
residential, that provisions are always made for lights, both inside
and out. Every home, I have noticed, somewhere very close to the front
and rear entrances are lights. Certainly this is a necessity. However,
my belief is that not enough thought has gone into this design flaw. My
present home and all previous ones have the light so close to the door
that on a summer night it is impossible to come and go without filling
the house with bugs and mosquitoes of all sizes and descriptions. Some
of my bedtime memories of childhood include my father going through the
house killing the bugs with an old pump bug sprayer. That smell
rekindles my memory even now.

What a boon the light bulb has been to bugs! Before Edison they must
have had nothing to do all night but fly around hitting things in the
dark. Now they have a place to go. It has perhaps broken the monotony
of their otherwise dark and boring nights.

John wrote of Jesus Christ and said, “In him was life; and the life was
the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not” (John 1:4-5). Paul said that we were “called out
of darkness into his marvelous light.” The message of Jesus is the
light of the world.

Harry Ironside, while writing about the church, once said, “Where
there’s sight, there’s bugs.” It is only logical that what is true in
our front yard is also true in the church. Not everyone that gathers at
church is there for the same reason.

I have been told before, “There are too many hypocrites at church.” One
man asked me, “Where are all the sheep? All I keep meeting are goats!”
I have an answer to these and similar statements. I do not deny that
there are bugs, hypocrites and goats. For every one that is a
hypocrite, I believe there are fifty that have the genuine experience
with God.

Where else could hypocrisy thrive but in the shadow of the genuine?
Some
would turn off the light because of a few bugs. Others might feel
because of this there is no use to continue on. Not so.

My preaching has attracted a few bugs through the years. When bugs are
around, it lets me know the light is on. I am neither surprised nor
hindered by them. The light on my front porch is not there for bugs;
it is there to show someone the way to my door. We should always
realize a few bugs are inevitable.

John the Baptist had them. They came in the crowd with no intention of
changing. He called them “vipers.” Jesus had them. They asked him
questions to try Him. He called them hypocrites. Peter, Paul, John and
James all had them. Did it stop their progress? Absolutely not.

Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world.” We must not be bothered by
a few bugs that are attracted. And to the sinner wandering in a world
of darkness, our attitude should be the same as a famous motel slogan
that says, “We’ll leave the light on for you!”

(The above material was published by the KENTUCKY DISTRICT NEWS, July,
1993)

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