As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same – Nelson Mandela
For as long as I can remember, this has been one of my favorite quotes. I have carried it with me since the days of MySpace, I have it written in numerous journals, and to this day I have it stamped in my memory as well as in the About Me section of my Facebook page. I adore this quote but ironically, I did anything but live it for the past 4 years.
In July, I sang for the first time in years. I sang in front of a room filled with strangers. I overcame hurt and sorrow that had calloused the walls of my heart. I sang and I felt as if I could breath again. I sang and I began to not just live but to become alive. I sang and through the words that envelope the tunes, I was living out my dream. I sang and I was not afraid. God has put a new song in my mouth and I whole heartedly believe every word of Mandela's famous quote above but what does it truly mean? What does it look like? Can it be real?
I thought singing for the first time was my huge leap of faith but it doesn't stop there. Although I know I will be able to sing in front of people or do duets with friends or even simply sing in worship during this next year; letting my light shine is something much stronger than just standing in front of an audience. This past week, my team was doing Sports Ministry at the local church in Ocnita, Moldova. A teammate and myself went inside of the church and I decided to practice some music for the upcoming Sunday service. My teammate sat near me in silence as I began to sing and it was at that moment that a glimpse of something she had told our team a couple of weeks back, popped into my mind:
"I want to sing. I want to sing well. I am afraid to sing because I think I am terrible and I know it's crazy but my dream is to sing."
She loves to show her joy and love for Christ in and through the worship she can give by music and it is apparent to anyone who is standing near. Her dream was to sing and although our dreams are very different they are more entangled than what I would have ever imagined. One Moldovian evening, in that small church, I learned that letting our light shine is quite different than standing in front of a room filled with people and singing at the top of my lungs. I learned that encouraging, challenging, and helping someone to make that first step towards their dream is a way that we can cast light. I learned that believing in someone and enabling them to see the faith we have in them is a means of projection. I learned that courage to step out of our own comforts in order to help someone else see what they might not, is a way to truly shine but most importantly, I learned that light is not just a one time thing, it is something that is and should be constant.
Letting your light shine is:
Encouraging others to take that first step.
Believing in something that might seem small to many but that could quite possibly be huge to one.
Faith in what we cannot see but what we know is there.
Courage to do the unlikely in order to see the unlikely happen.
There is a joy in knowing that when we as humans are excited or crazy or perhaps even reckless about something; those who are around us, in some way take in, receive, and are filled with that same ambiance. We have the opportunity to impact greatly. We have the chance to shine. We have the chance to enable our faith and courage to be contagious. We can do big things and we can do great things but we must start somewhere. We must not settle for mediocrity, nor shall we ever let good enough be good enough. I would like to challenge anyone who reads this to know, that if you truly allow your own light to shine, your world and the world we live in will automatically be a little brighter.
I have overcome many fears. I have begun living my dream. I am beginning to let my light truly shine and I am humbled to know that I was a part of someone else's dream. My friend, my teammate, my sister is Ali Bruce and not only does she sing but she sings well. God is good.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
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