A few weeks ago at church we had a beautiful fellow come by named Sean. He had a glow in his eye and an excitement about him, that really spoke volumes about this young mans heart. He was carrying around a torch from the special Olympics and eagerly sharing with everyone. The first thing he asked me as I was introduced was, Do you want to hold the torch? He put it in my hands and just smiled. A smile that said it’s amazing isn’t it?
It was amazing. I’ve seen the ceremony on tv, but I’ve never actually thought about it what it must be like to hold that torch. It was heavier than I imagined, and I could still smell the acrid smell of smoke from where the flame once glistened. I thought about what it must be like to carry that torch through the crowd, and to put it on top of the pillar and light the fire for the start of the games. The cheers, the silence, the faces looking up to you. What an honor for this young man, to be the one to do that.
What was even more amazing was his eagerness to share that moment with us! He didn’t stand up and say Here is my torch that I carried, look at it. He said here, hold this! He didn’t think it something to boast or brag about, but a beautiful moment that he could share with others. A torch not to be put on display out of arrogance or pride, but a humble torch that every person in the room could hold.
We too are carrying a torch. A torch for Christ. We have the ability to show others that torch, to be a light unto the world, not hidden under a basket but proudly displayed for all to see the way. Yet we also should be like Sean. We shouldn’t be holding our torch up in front of everyone and saying, look what I have! Look what you do not! Instead we should be saying, look what God has given me freely! Look at this gift that I have the honor and privledge of carrying! Here, you can hold it too! All you have to do it believe! Reach out to Jesus, take hold of Him! And you too can carry this torch!
We should want to share our faith! We should be out actively searching God’s face! Not simply looking for things to argue about, or for moments to pick apart because of doctrinal differences. Instead we should be gladly going into a room of people and saying, here is my torch, do you want to hold it?
In Christ,
Brian