Thursday, January 9, 2014

Let Your Light Shine!

Beginning in 2014, I will be taking over as the Local and Global Missions Coordinator at Orange Friends Church (OFC). I realize I have big shoes to fill. Both Dr. Robert Wafula and Doyle Hartman have successfully completed this task in recent years.

During the month of October, when we have the Taste of Missions event, we will concentrate on global missions, and what that means to OFC. 

For the month of January, we will be concentrating on local missions. Our outreach to local missions includes C.R.A.C.K. House Ministries, Pregnancy Decision Health Centers, The CORE Center, Faith Mission, and Gracehaven. In the upcoming weeks, I hope everyone learns a little more about these ministries, what they are accomplishing for the glory of God, and how we, at OFC, are contributing and can contribute to help these wonderful ministries.

I know Christmas Day has passed, but one of my favorite TV specials around the Christmas season is “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. Remember this story? Charlie Brown has purchased a less-than-desirable Christmas tree and all his friends make fun of him; and of course, Snoopy gets the biggest laugh of all. Well, later that day, the friends gather around that disgraceful Christmas tree that can’t seem to support its own weight. Finally, Linus speaks up and says, “Maybe it is not such a bad tree after all. Maybe it just needs a little loving.”

There are people amongst us who may “just need a little loving”…like the young teenager who is pregnant and facing tough decisions, the drug addict or alcoholic, those trying to find their next meal or a warm pair of shoes, the young person caught in the life of sex trafficking. The list could go on and on. There is darkness and there is hurt all around us.

During the month of January, I challenge each of us to look within our own hearts. How can we be the “light” that Jesus wants us to be? What can we do through prayer, financial giving, or volunteering? What can we do, while walking down the street, as we come upon strangers, to be that “light”?

That Charlie Brown Christmas tree, when given some love and attention, went from being pathetic and less-than-desirable, to full of life and light and brought joy to the Charlie Brown clan. We, at OFC, can do this same thing for the hurting and the broken, those who appear to be less desirable, those who cannot seem to support their own weight, like that Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Let’s join together and light up lives as we live to glorify God.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16 (KJV)

Ron Clark

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