water, light, and snow – let your light so shine

Late Saturday evening, trudging through the snow and the ice while talking Scout for her long walk, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. The entire neighborhood was bathed in a subtly diffused light, and I could see so much more than usual; even the woods were strangely luminescent.

The moon was full, but it’s glow was muted by cloud cover, and the usual streetlights were doing their part. But it was the snow, and the crunchy layer of ice, that was responsible for diffusing so much light.

Snow has no light of its own, of course, but every lumen of available light was reflected, bounced around, and redirected by the crystalline blanket of H2O. Water and light, two of the essentials to life.

I couldn’t help but think about the responsibility God has given us to diffuse the light of the Gospel of Love – essential to real life – in every possible way. The more disciples who live committed to the ministry of light, the more the luminescence begins to change the landscape of this world.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16

Here are a few more snow-and-ice images from Saturday around our neighborhood – DEREK