This little light of mine

[ZiSunka]

In the song, This Little Light of Mine, what is the light?

That song seems to get sung a lot, but I've got to admit I never really understood what the light signifies.

 

[Gold Dragon]

The "Hide it under a bushel, NO!" part seems to suggest it is the light Jesus mentioned in Matthew 5

KJV - Matthew 5:14-16

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

[ZiSunka]

What did he mean by "light"?

 

[Gold Dragon]

What did he mean by "light"?

From the context of the passage, I gather that it is the new life given to us through Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that manifests itself in our good works that men can see.

 

[ZiSunka]

Why does he call that light? How are we lights?

 

[Gold Dragon]

Why does he call that light? How are we lights?

Because the life He gives us illuminates, reveals truth and pushes away the darkness. Not just for us but for those around us.

 

[ZiSunka]

How do we push away the darkness?

How do we illuminate the truth?

What do these things mean? Please don't get frustrated with me, I really want to know what this all means.

 

[Gold Dragon]

How do we push away the darkness?

How do we illuminate the truth?

What do these things mean? Please don't get frustrated with me, I really want to know what this all means.

I don't get frustrated so easily do I lambslove?

I gotta catch a train no but I'll contemplate these passages and excellent questions on the ride.

 

[Matthan]

LambsLove, Jesus wants each of us, as Christians, to serve Him. Of course, the best (and easiest) service we can give Him is to love Him, and believe in Him. But we are also supposed to let our Christian "light" shine unto others, to be a beacon to them for Christ. There are so many who do not have His message, and so many others who do not have His complete message, or a warped version, of His truth. We might be able to serve as their guides on a Christian pathway.

Think about it for just a second, my sister. Why are you here, on this particular forum? I have read so many of your posts, and must conclude you are wise in Christian love far beyond your years. Do you think for a second I am the only one here who has taken such notice? No, not by a long shot. Your posts have touched so many others it would be hard to count them all, much less the number of times each has been touched by you and what you have written.

You have let your own personal light shine bright on Christian Forums, my sister. And that light has illuminated the pathways of many others. For that I thank you, very very much!!!

Matthan <J>< (And I like your avitar, tooooooo!!!)

 

[GreenEyedLady]

How do we push away the darkness?

How do we illuminate the truth?

What do these things mean? Please don't get frustrated with me, I really want to know what this all means.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

I am not sure how to prove this..........but God dealt with me about my "candle stick" I was reading His word and was wondering HOW to let HIS light shine. I was in prayer alot about it. So there was some scripture about the candlestick and the mouth. I believe that God was trying to tell me that HE is the light, and HE being the "Word" should be placed in our mouths or "candlesticks" in order to bring other to repentance and salvation.
GEL

 

[ZiSunka]

Interesting! That's something worth pondering GEL!

 

[Gold Dragon]

How do we push away the darkness?

How do we illuminate the truth?

The analogies of salt and light (taste and sight) are symbols that are so pervasive in our Christian jargon that we don't always think about what they really mean. I believe Christ talked in symbols and allegory so much because he understands how we work as humans at a deeply emotional level that responds to symbols and imagery.

So what does it mean to push away darkness and illuminate truth? Matthan and GEL mention sharing Christ's message of salvation in words with right teaching. I think this is an important part of illuminating truth where people were previously unaware or misled of that message. But Jesus follows with the part about good works and I believe that orthopraxis is just as much a part of the Christian life as orthodoxy if not more important. It isn't just about saying and sharing the good news but also about going and doing the work of light among darkness.

NASB - Matthew 25:35-36,40

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
naked, and you clothed Me;
I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.

Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.

 

[ZiSunka]

LambsLove, Jesus wants each of us, as Christians, to serve Him. Of course, the best (and easiest) service we can give Him is to love Him, and believe in Him. But we are also supposed to let our Christian "light" shine unto others, to be a beacon to them for Christ. There are so many who do not have His message, and so many others who do not have His complete message, or a warped version, of His truth. We might be able to serve as their guides on a Christian pathway.

Think about it for just a second, my sister. Why are you here, on this particular forum? I have read so many of your posts, and must conclude you are wise in Christian love far beyond your years. Do you think for a second I am the only one here who has taken such notice? No, not by a long shot. Your posts have touched so many others it would be hard to count them all, much less the number of times each has been touched by you and what you have written.

You have let your own personal light shine bright on Christian Forums, my sister. And that light has illuminated the pathways of many others. For that I thank you, very very much!!!

Matthan <J>< (And I like your avitar, tooooooo!!!)

Aw shucks, Matthan!

 

[seebs]

Ooh, interesting.

I dunno. I've met people like that. They look like they're on fire. No, I don't mean literal fire. I just get an impression of them as though they're on fire. And you can see this pretty easily. I assume that's it.

 

[FaithWeaver]

I believe that the light represents Christ and his love. Since Christ is in us, then we through him become the light of the world, for where the light is there can not be darkness. Darkness always hides from the light. Therefore, in a world of darkness, we are the light. Did that make sense?

 

[ZiSunka]

I believe that the light represents Christ and his love. Since Christ is in us, then we through him become the light of the world, for where the light is there can not be darkness. Darkness always hides from the light. Therefore, in a world of darkness, we are the light. Did that make sense?

Hmm, I'm not sure. From a church-speak perspective, but from an ordinary human perspective, it's all gibberish to me. Can you phrase it in another way?

 

[RED that's ME]

One of the websources I found says that this song was created by the underground railroad slaves.
It has a lil' different wording than what we sing now. I think how we sing it now meaning is that God is within us as christians we need to share the gospel with others not hide it nor let Satan try to put it out.

http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/this_little_light_of_mine.htm
http://www.negrospirituals.com/history.htm

 

[repoland2]

God bless your soul lambslove, your seeking heart is incredible!

NLT John 8:12 - "Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."

The Lord in Heaven, is light. This world lives in darkness. It is in darkness because Lucifer has been given control of this place by God Himself to serve the Lord's purpose. Satan is the Lord of Air and Darkness.

Therefore, where ever there is God, in a sea of darkness (the world, with demons and hatered) there is a beam of light that is God shining through.

Physically speaking, Light is more powerful than darkness. Where there is light, darkness cannot be. The light of the world, shines through each and every one of us that carries the lamp of the Lord, the Holy Spirit.

In YOU, I personally see the light of the Lord shine through. It is like a beacon, a lighthouse. I can sense it, and see it for myself. I feel it in my soul, you HAVE the Holy Spirit. The light of the world, Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven.

Now, I recommend you pray extensivly for your answer. I am currently going through the 'What is LOVE??" stage just like you are going through the "What is LIGHT??" stage, so I will say a prayer for you that the Lord give you the ULTIMATE revelation on it that only He can give, and I send you my deepest blessings my friend.

 

[ZiSunka]

Original lyrics: (from http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/this_little_light_of_mine.htm) thanks Red!

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, this little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ev'ry where I go
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, ev'ry where I go
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Ev'ry where I go
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]All in my house
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, all in my house
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
All in my house
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I'm not going to make it shine
I'm just going to let it shine
I'm not going to make it shine
I'm just going to let it shine
Hallelujah
I'm not going to make it shine
I'm just going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine[/font]


That was interesting. I didn't know it was originally a spiritual. You know that spirituals were originally sung to give escaping slaves directions to the next safe house, and they weren't really written to worship God or express spirituality. So this was a song telling them to go to the next house with lights shining in the window, I would guess, some house that was beyond the plantation ("I'm not going to make it shine, I'm going to let it shine," meaning that the slaves on this place weren't lighting the lamp, someone else was).

We must have adapted it from the old lyrics and meaning, just like we did Jacob's Ladder and so many others.