Love in Action: The Light You Bring

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

-Matthew 5: 14-16

In our home, the Christmas tree is the most valuable possession we own - not because of what it’s worth, but because of what it holds. Every ornament tells a story. There are ornaments from the many states we’ve lived in, each one marking a chapter of our life. There are ornaments from loved ones from Germany, gifts gathered from students over the years, the Luther seal from the first year of our marriage, and the ornament celebrating our twenty-five-year anniversary. There are college keepsakes, as well as the one from Paris brought home after the trip of a lifetime visiting my daughter. Each of our children has an ornament they chose themselves each year, small markers of who they were becoming at the time.

Over the years, we’ve bought and sold countless pieces of furniture and household items. We’ve let go of most without a second thought, other than the baby crib I refuse to let go of. But the Christmas ornaments? Those have crossed the country with us time and time again. In fact, on every move, there were only two things that always came in the car with me: my organ music and the Christmas ornaments. Everything else could be replaced. These could not. It is no small thing to realize this may be the last year all of those ornaments hang together, as my oldest prepares to begin her own life and build a tree of memories shaped by her own story that will someday glow with meaning of its own.

When the tree is lit, I see more than decorations. I see influence. I see places that shaped us, seasons that formed us, and people who left their mark. I even see former students reflected back at me, memories of classrooms, conversations, and moments I didn’t realize mattered at the time. The tree glows with accumulated light, each ornament contributing something unique to the whole. It is my greatest treasure.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5; 14, “You are the light of the world.” As teachers, our influence works much the same way. Rarely is it one grand moment that defines our impact. Instead, it’s the steady accumulation of presence, effort, and patience over a long period of time. Students carry pieces of us with them, sometimes for years, sometimes for a lifetime. Long after lessons fade, the light remains.

As we close this season of Advent reflections, take Jesus' words to heart and remember this: the light you bring matters. When He calls us the "light of the world," He is calling us to love in action. Our light travels farther than you know. It crosses seasons of life and places. And like the ornaments on a well-loved tree, your influence becomes part of someone else’s story, adding warmth, meaning, and love long after the moments have passed.

Let your light shine.

Bring the Light

Whose light has helped shaped you as an educator, and how might you offer that same light to your students or colleagues?

Prayer

Light of the World, thank You for coming among us in Jesus and for the many lights You have placed in our lives, the teachers, mentors, and loved ones who have shaped who we are. As we look at the memories we carry, like ornaments gathered on a tree, help us remember that our influence also matters. In this Christmas season, guide us as teachers to shine with love in action, creating hope in the lives of our students. May the light of Christ reflect through us, now and always. Amen.