Our church had a cantata last night for the residents at the nursing home where we meet. It has been a looonnngggg time since I was part of a choir, and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
Before we actually started I prayed that we would be a blessing to the residents and others who came. Many of the residents at this facility have brain injuries or mental impairments…in many ways, “the least of these”. I’ve been challenged lately by a book I’ve been reading where this couple was ministering in the garbage dump, where people actually lived–it was all they had. Yet Jesus was “always enough”.
As I looked out at the different ones gathering, many familiar faces that come to our services each week, I thought that although I’m not ministering in a war-ravaged African country I can still give to others, and especially to those often forgotten during this time of year.
After the cantata, I asked a resident if he got some cookies that everyone had brought for fellowship time afterwards. He assured me he did! Then I asked him, “Did you enjoy it?”
He nodded, smiling, and said, “Oh yes! I was so blessed! So blessed!”
And I was, too! 
We can all be a light–even just a “little” light–to someone, pointing them to the Light of the World–Jesus!
May you enjoy your most precious blessings–Jesus and your family, and no matter what your situation, remember–He is always enough!
Just a Little Light
Timmy sat in Daddy’s chair, all slouched down and scuffing his feet on the floor. Mama looked at his face which showed he was obviously disappointed and trying not to cry.
“Mama? Why can’t 7 year olds go to the church propi’ty to help clean up today?”
“Timmy, the daddies and big boys are going to be doing more dangerous work today, using chainsaws and other equipment to try to move some of the big trees that fell in the storm. They just want to be extra careful and take no chances on someone getting hurt.”
“But I can help! Daddy even said I’m a big helper!”
Mama smiled. “Yes, you are! But it would be easy for a smaller child to go unseen and perhaps someone would cut a limb or something that would fall where they didn’t think someone was—and then they would be hurt badly.”
“I’d be extra, extra careful and listen to Daddy….” Timmy began.
Mama shook her head. “No, Timmy. It’s best to take no chances.”
“But then I can’t do anything!” Timmy growled and flopped over on his side so he didn’t have to look at Mama.
“Timmy, look at me,” Mama had come over to the recliner and kneeled down in front of it.
“No!”
“Timothy David, please look at me now.” Mama said quietly.
Timmy knew when Mama got really quiet like that and used his full name, he had better listen!
He turned. “What, Mama.”
“Timmy, sometimes we don’t understand why we can’t do something big, when all along God is just asking us to be faithful in the little things.”
“But Mama! That’s fun and big work! I do all my chores with a happy heart at home!”
“All the time?”
Timmy looked down. “Well, not all the time. But most of the time!”
Mama smiled again. “Timmy, you do a really good job most of the time. I’m not talking so much of doing your chores here at home as looking for opportunities to let your light shine, even if they seem really small.”
Timmy looked puzzled. “Like what?”
“Like visiting with Mrs. Crawson after picking up her sticks and limbs, or raking her leaves. Or how about when you stop at Linley Brothers Hardware to talk to Hardware Jim about your newest project?”
Timmy looked up at Mama. “Mama, those are just little things. That’s not something big like cleaning up big limbs and trees and fixing things that were blown down in a storm.”
“No, Timmy, those are big things in the eyes of those people. Remember when Tina Lewis needed someone to take care of Buddy when they had to leave suddenly because her grandma wasn’t doing well?”
Timmy nodded. “But that was fun, Mama! I liked playing with Buddy!” He smiled.
“I know you did! Again, though, that was a big thing to Tina. If she had had to find a kennel to board Buddy, it would have wasted precious time that she was instead able to spend with her grandma before she went to Heaven.”
Timmy was thoughtful.
“But I still don’t see how that makes Jesus happier than the big things.”
“Well, remember when the lights went out during the storm, and Daddy had a hard time getting the generator going?”
Timmy nodded vigorously. “Yep!”
“What did we do until the generator started?”
“We got our flashlights and camping lanterns and candles!” Timmy was bouncing at the memory of the adventure!
“Yes, but what did we have first before we could find all those other things?”
Timmy laughed. “Jo-Jo’s little baby toy that lights up!” He was giggling at how they used this little baby toy, pushing the button and listening to it “sing” Mary Had a Little Lamb several times while they got the other flashlights and lanterns!
“But wasn’t it a welcome ‘light’, even if it was small?”
“Oh yes! I mean, we could have gotten to our flashlights, but I’ll bet we would have run into stuff on the way!” Timmy laughed.
“That’s right! So we were pretty happy to have Jo-Jo’s little Lambie-Pie, weren’t we?” Mama was laughing, too.
Timmy nodded…..then he stopped smiling.
“Mama?”
“Yes?”
“I get it! I get it now!” He was bouncing up and down again, smiling.
“You get what, Timmy?” Mama asked.
“I’m like Jo-Jo’s little Lambie-Pie, aren’t I?! I might be just a ‘little’ light, but to someone, I’m like that little toy, helping keep them from stubbing their toe in the dark or falling over something until they get a bigger light!”
Mama couldn’t hide the tears welling up in her eyes. “That’s right, Timmy! You are absolutely right!”
“And…..” he was thoughtful…. “As I practice being a good ‘little’ light, I will be a brighter big light when it’s time! Is that what you meant, Mama?”
She pulled him into a big hug. “Yes, Timmy! That’s exactly what I meant!”
Timmy hugged Mama, and then pulled back and looked up at her.
“Then Mama, I’m going to be the best little light I can, so when I grow up, I’ll be a lighthouse!”
So sweet all of it. Glad the cantata went well, and that story brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you, JoAnn!