The Gospel reading for February 6th was from Matthew 5 when Jesus uses salt and light as examples. His sermon includes, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Preach on, Jesus! Light it up, Lord!
I like to be in the limelight! The attracting glow of the spotlight looks good on me! It lights up all my wonderful qualities, and the shadows it creates even hide my dark sides. I like the spotlight. And sometimes I like being the spotlight itself, so I can shine on others just like me, so we’ll all get noticed.
Oh…well…yes, I realize that God gets the final curtain here, but let me bask a bit in the hard-earned glory. After all, it was I who visited the sick, gave to the poor, lifted up the broken-hearted, encouraged the weak…and all those other glorious good gestures. This little light of mine…dang right I’m gonna let it shine! I like being seen and appreciated and valued. I like my name in the list of donors for all to read and then to praise my selfless good work of measurable benevolence. I want the IRS to do an audit-free double-take at my cash contribution itemization.
No one can view my inner condition, so why not let all gaze upon the outward expressions? This little light (hell, it ain’t all that little) of mine (it is mine, after all), I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
But then the juxtaposing Jesus turns right around and takes the luster right out of my shining. He pulls the stage-light plug. Just as he’s getting wound up in his sermon, he says, “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3), and he drones on about being secretive about my giving. Try being secretive about cash contributions with the IRS. Deductions are good; I deserve them.
Since I’m left-handed, I suppose this teaching doesn’t apply to me. Scripture dodging is so easy! I write checks with my left hand in full view of my right hand. Gotcha there, Jesus. See what happens when you’re prejudiced against us lefties?
Let your light shine so that others may see… Do not let your right hand know what your right hand is doing. Make up your mind there, rabbi. Don’t straddle the fence; it can cause spiritual hernias. Let it shine, or keep it a secret? I don’t like to give up the glory. I would like some encores. The stage is mine. I want the final curtain…
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