What Do Lightbulbs Have to Do with Loving Our Neighbor?

This Earth Day excerpt is from Serving God, Saving the Planet, the group Bible study by Dr. Matthew Sleeth.

An old-fashioned [incandescent] lightbulb uses about ten percent of its energy to make light. What happens to the other ninety percent? It just makes heat... hot air. I often feel like our lives are like that, like these really inefficient bulbs. There's lots of energy going in ... but there's a really small percentage of the energy going into us that's accomplishing what we were called to do in the first place. By contrast, an energy-efficient bulb uses about ninety percent of the energy going in to make light. It's light that extinguishes darkness, it's visible light, light we can do something by. As a result we don't have to [mine coal] so much, and we don't have to tear mountains down. Less mercury ends up in fish, fewer kids get asthma. A company or an individual who gets involved in efficiency frees up resources for things like feeding the hungry and caring for the sick. It's a way of being a good steward. So, yes - changing your lightbulbs is a way of loving God and your neighbor. It seems to me that Jesus is a "big picture" kind of guy... If we choose to follow Christ, we become new people -- with new priorities. Our behaviors change, not just the lightbulbs. When our hearts are changed, our actions follow... Jesus Christ came into this world to save the world, not to condemn it, and that's the good news. Falling in love with light is a pivotal part of this love story. Jesus, the light of the world, is calling you and me to become children of light. So, my prayer is that you let the light of Jesus sweep over you and remove all the darkness in your life. Then and only then can we become a light to the world... And it will be good.

 

Learn More

Want to hear more from Matthew on serving God and saving the planet?  

Watch the video of Session 1 on YouTube.

- Adam Forrest, Zondervan

 

(This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's personal opinions are shared for information purposes only. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

 

Comments

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Loved the analogy of the light bulb. Succinctly and well said. THANKS

[Adam Forrest (Zondervan Blog)]

Sheila, I agree, Dr. Sleeth makes a great point. Thanks!