His Life is the Source of Light
Here’s what I like about this wonderful image.
The light bulb isn’t supplying the light for the plant to grow. Because the light bulb itself is dark.
Instead, it looks like the sun is supplying the light needed for the plant to grow.
The Great Debate
The Corinthian Christians argued about their individual status as believers, based on which teacher they followed. That’s ignorance. Because though we need Bible-trained teachers, our true teacher is the Holy Spirit.
Here’s the way Paul explains it:
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (I Corinthians 3:6-7 NIV)
None of the Corinthians realized that it was the Holy Spirit who made their favorite teacher so powerful and effective.
En-lighten-ment
As teachers, we can speak about the truth we’ve experienced, but we can’t cause another person to receive it.
No one’s life is transformed by good teaching alone. Instead, the Holy Spirit partners with us to make the teaching come alive in the listening believer’s heart.
It happens with me too.
After all these years, I can recognize when a teaching has life for me. I know when I’m being spiritually “fed.”
I also know when a teaching is dry and lifeless. But here’s the truth; it might be dry only to me.
The woman I’m sitting next to might be receiving life-transforming revelation. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is actively touching her heart, using the pastor’s words.
It’s the anointing.
The Anointing
May I tell you a secret? Three of my closest friends are totally indifferent to my posts. They love me dearly. But my writing leaves them cold. Yet other people read The Faithful Wanderer and get wonderfully blessed.
Why?
Because God chooses what He uses in each of our lives to grow us in Christ-likeness.
In fact, the tools He’s used to open my eyes to spiritual realities sometimes are secular. Here’s a short list:
- A particular scene in a secular 1990s TV show, “Xena, Warrior Princess.”
- A biology class field trip during college.
- Parents watching proudly as their toddler begins to walk.
- A random joke, told by a friend.
Each of these events shifted my understanding of who God is.
A Few Tips
I did a very smart thing as a newborn believer. I walked into a Christian bookstore and prayed. “Lord, help me choose the books You want me to read.” The result? I left the store with a few books which blessed me tremendously in my new walk of faith.
Two other things I would suggest.
- Have a multitude of teachers who speak to you; don’t stick with just one. In other words, “eat a buffet” not “just strawberries.”
- When you open the Scriptures every day, invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Frequently a single verse or passage will really stand out and other verses may come to mind.
If I’m puzzled, I’ll ask Him a question. Or I’ll praise the Spirit for a new insight. Or I’ll stop and think about how good the Lord is. Conviction of sin? Yep. The Holy Spirit does that too.
Our Creator sheds sunlight on our planet, but He also sheds “Son-light” in the shadowed areas in our souls.
Let me close this post with an appropriate verse, which speaks of Jesus.
Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. (John 1:4 TLB, The Living Bible)
Remember to thank Jesus this week for sending the Holy Spirit and His anointing
These images both came from Pixabay.com
Resources:
I wrote about my biology class field trip in a post called, “A Most Unusual Metaphor.” My ornithology professor was netting small, live birds, banding and then releasing them.
Thank you for sharing and yes the Holy Spirit is the catalyst for us to grow and guides us to be changed. For He knows what we all need to be transformed..
And that’s a great summary of my whole post. I appreciate your comments. -M.