By Pat
Sometimes I wish I could surround myself with all my Christian friends and family and stay away from the rest of the world. It's so nice to be around people with the same beliefs, values and goals that I have; loved ones who speak my language, so to speak. I just feel different when I'm with fellow believers; in church, at my favorite Christian bookstore, in Bible studies.
But as wonderful as that feels to me, I realize that it's not what Jesus wants of us, for if we only walk among Christians, don't we shine our light in a room that's already brightly lit? Our lights, in order to illuminate the darkness, must therefore seek out those dark corners and rooms. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says, "We are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put in under a bowl. Instead they put it on it's stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven".
So that's what we must try to do. It's nice to to shine among the other lights in the room, making it brighter, but it's required to leave the room and find a dark corner in which to shine.