Motion Activated Light

I spent the last few days in retreat with fellow pastors “down the shore.” Each evening, we sat and talked and snacked under a pavilion overlooking the Atlantic. The only downside was that every few minutes, someone would have to jump up and wave their hands in front of the motion detector in order for us to have some light. I seems that just sitting and chatting wasn’t enough movement to keep us in the “light.”

I wonder if that is also true in the church. Do we sit around and talk and end up outside of the light, when we should be up and about and keeping the light shining? I am afraid that this is too often the case. We talk about missions, we talk about helping our neighbor, and we talk about a lot of things until the light goes out, but nothing ever happens.

I think it is time for us to stop talking about what we ought to be doing and (borrowing the Nike phrase) Just do it! James tells us to stop merely listening to the Word and so deceiving ourselves. Instead we are to do what it says. The Great Compassion chapter of Matthew 25 tells us the same thing. We are to help the least of those in our society. Don’t you think it is about time to get off our duffs and do the work we are called to do? I believe that if we all did that, the light of Christ would shine brightly and never seem to go out!