阅读经文 

你有没有发觉到，在一间有阳光照亮的房子中开一盏很亮的灯时，你似乎仍然留意不到是开了灯的？但是，在晚上，你若在一间黑暗的房子点燃一根细小的蜡烛，便能看到很多东西了。光产生的果效，在乎我们在什么时候和什么地方使用它。

我的岳丈是一位牧师，他一直都在做牧养的服侍，直到离世的日子为止。他房间的墙壁上展示着一句简单的座右铭：“与其咒诅黑暗，不如点燃蜡烛。”这句话总结了他的人生和传承。

在现今世代，无论往哪里寻觅，我们都看见和听到咒诅黑暗的声音。忿怒和控诉是被广泛接受的表态，而其中表达的内容更往往是半真半假、或甚至是明显的谎话。

在这样的世代，跟从基督的人应该怎样行呢？我们蒙召要去点燃蜡烛：我们提供鼓励人的话；当人们经常以卑鄙的操纵和欺骗手段来运用权力时，我们却要活出耶稣的谦卑；我们努力帮助人，不但公开支持他人，更在幕后默默地服侍他们。

去年我进入了半退休状态，看到那么多退休人士（也有较年轻的呢！）仍在发光照亮人，我十分感慨。他们教导难民、指导小孩的功课、辅导年青人、帮助流浪街头的人。一位带领一群年轻单亲妈妈的八十五岁女士，就是其中一个例子，她对我说：“只要我的心仍然在跳动，我便有工作的目标。”

Have you ever noticed that when you turn on a powerful light in a bright, sunlit room, you hardly notice that the light is on? But when you light a tiny candle in a dark room at night, you can see so much more than you could before. Light makes a difference according to when and where it is used.

My father-in-law was a pastor who continued ministering to others until the final days of his life. On the wall of his room he posted a simple proverb that summarized his life and legacy: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

Everywhere we turn in today’s world, we can see and hear loud voices cursing the darkness. Anger and accusation are commonly accepted ways of speaking out, often with half-truths and even blatant lies.

What are Christ-followers to do in such a time? We are called to light candles: offering words of encouragement; living out Jesus’ kind of meekness when manipulation and deception are often used to wield power godlessly; working to help others, advocating for them openly as well as serving quietly behind the scenes.

Last year I entered semi-retirement, and I am amazed to find so many retired people (and younger ones too!) sharing light. They are teaching refugees, tutoring kids, mentoring teens, working with street people. An 85-year-old woman, for example, leads a group of young, single moms and she said to me, “As long as I have a pulse, I have a purpose.”