In the grandeur of the palace throne room, Spark felt peculiarly conspicuous. He felt very odd shining so bright and standing out from the shelf, this made him want to blend in a little more. “Let me just inch over here behind this ledge”, he thought to himself.
From a shelf not too far away, Beacon’s voice rang out, “Spark, what are you up to?”
“I’d rather not stand out so much,” Spark admitted. “I thought it might be easier & more comfortable for everyone if I just blended in a bit.”
Beacon wagged his wick at Spark. “No, no, Spark. Don’t you see? You’re a light. You’re supposed to be different than the darkness. It’s your job to shine brightly. Your life isn’t about you—it’s about shining light in a darkness.”
Beacon flicked his wick in Spark’s direction, chiding gently, “Oh, Spark, you’re missing the point. You are a beacon of light. You’re supposed to be different than the darkness. It’s your job to shine brightly. Your existence isn’t just about you—it’s about shining light in darkness.”
Spark understood Beacon’s wisdom. “But the darkness is so overwhelming…”
“All the more reason to shine brightly,” came Beacon’s response.
Taking Beacon’s wisdom into account, Spark now yearned to shine as fiercely as possible and let everyone notice him. His desire to stand out made him keep trying to extend his wick extra high, hoping people would see what a great light he was. His flame danced vividly, and he relished the attention it garnered.
Once more, Beacon stepped in with a word of guidance. “Spark, remember why you were ignited?”
“To shine brilliantly,” Spark responded, puzzled by the inquiry. Had Beacon forgotten his own advice?
“To shine brightly so that people could see the King on his throne. Your job is not for people to see you, but the King.”
Realizing the truth in Beacon’s words, Spark adjusted his flame, turning his focus toward the throne. He discovered that if he kept his own gaze there, his light shone brightly in a way that illuminated the darkness for others to see the King too.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
– Matthew 5:14-16
Much like in the story of Spark and Beacon, we are often faced with important choices that define our life’s purpose. Do we blend into the background seeking comfort in the shadows, or do we embrace our unique light and stand out? This short tale of two lights finding purpose in a palace is represents an interesting metaphor for our own journey. One where we are called to recognize and fulfill our purpose in God’s grand design.
Embracing Your Gifts
Have you ever felt the urge like Spark to blend in not stand out so much from others when it comes to using your gifts? Of course you have! It’s a very human thing to do to have the tendency to conform and hide our true selves for fear of standing out or being labelled as different. But as Beacon wisely points out – your gifts are not meant to be hidden, but rather shared to make the world better.
God makes no mistakes. He did not give you gifts simply for them to go to waste or remain hidden from the world. Today is a call to shine your light brighter and to illuminate the world in your own unique way.
Finding Your True Focus
Later on in the story, it was shown that Spark accepted His role but at times grew a bit too hungry for personal attention. When we put our God given gifts to use, we are likely to experience success and growth. But as we grow stronger, we should always maintain our humility and acknowledge that all good things come from God.
The huge contrast between the two opposites reflect our human nature. Sometimes we shirk away for fear of judgment and uncertainty, whilst at times we seek recognition and forget our humility. How then do we find the right balance between the two?
The answer lies not in trying to “recalibrate our wick” every time it reaches a certain point, but rather to turn our focus to God. In the first two scenarios, Spark was centered only on how He could improve himself. His pursuit was noble, but it was still only focused on himself. However finding his through purpose came when he realized that his focus should instead be on the King to find the right balance.
In the same way, if we try to regulate ourselves based on our own inner desires, we may find it very hard to find the right balance. But when we put our focus on the Lord and lead all actions with the love that He taught us – then we know for sure that every action we take is on the right track.
When we focus our light on God, we not only fulfill our purpose but also help others see Him more clearly. Our lives become a testament to His love, guiding others out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
