This Little Light Of Mine

Last week we drove to the beach in Georgia, to the mountains of Tennessee, & back to the rolling country landscape of the Midwest. 

All very different scenery. All so beautiful! God’s earth has variety. And so does God’s people.

During our trip, we went to Dollywood amusement park with some wonderful new friends of ours who have a little daughter with Down syndrome. And for a day, I saw a tiny glimpse of life through their eyes. 

At one point, we stopped to watch one of the bands perform some fun, old-timey songs. My friend’s cute daughter ate it up! The singers immediately took notice of her enthusiasm as she clapped, waved, & beamed through the music, & they waved, beamed, & sang right back at her.

When they began their last song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine...” my heart was touched. I couldn’t help but think of that little girl’s light & how it must shine everywhere she goes. She is a lot different than most of us. Yet she is a beautiful child of God like you & me. 

(Though I’d guess her celestial light burns 1000x brighter than you & me.)

We are all different in a million different ways. But we each have a little light to shine.

Why is it so hard to agree sometimes? Why is it so hard to see past our differences? If we could only look for that little light in each other... if only we could see with the perfect light that God sees. How would we treat each other? What kind of light & unity could we create together? 

President Eyring taught, “You need to have the simple faith that as children of God, with all our differences... there will be elements of truth... That truth [you] share is always greater and more important... than [your] differences.”

There is common ground in all of us. I believe it! Maybe it’s small. But find it!

EVERY person has divine worth. 

Kindness matters.

You can have different opinions & be respectful.

Build up, don’t tear down.

LOVE one another.

“Light that shines is the light of love

Hides the darkness from above

Shines on me

And it shines on you

Shows you what

The power of love can do”

Let it shine, from you & those different than you. 

As a popular Disney musical says, we’re all in this together.❤️