Lighting Up the Dark

I heard about a man in his senior years who was walking beside a lake when he suddenly heard a voice. “Hey you!” someone said, “Come over here and kiss me, and I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.”

He looked around but didn’t see anyone. Again, a voice said, “Hey, you! Come over here and kiss me, and I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.”

Then he noticed a little frog by the water’s edge. The frog said, “Hey, you! Kiss me, and I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.”

So the man reached down, carefully picked up the frog, and put it into his shirt pocket. Then he turned and walked away.

The frog called out, “Hey, didn’t you hear what I said? I said, ‘Kiss me, and I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.’”

The man replied, “At my age I’d rather have a talking frog.”

That’s how it can be when we study Bible prophecy. We can miss the whole point. In Luke 12, Jesus tells us how we ought to be living as we anticipate His imminent return: “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast” (verses 35–36 NLT).

Jesus was describing a first-century Jewish wedding, which could go on for days or even a week. They didn’t know when the groom would arrive, so everyone would be dressed and ready. To have your lamps burning meant that you’d have sufficient oil in them. If you weren’t prepared, then you’d miss the wedding.

This world is a very dark place, and it seems to be getting darker. But Jesus said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 NLT).

As followers of Jesus Christ, we should be shining lights in a dark place.