That They May See

“Let your light so shine.” I wonder if I have any light able to shine.

Letting your light so shine isn’t just about waving light everywhere and making the world a generally brighter place.

I like that imagery of making sure to shine the light where others need to see it.

Christ provides the light, we don’t have to produce it on our own.

What if the people who need my light (my family) refuse to look?

By virtue of the Restoration of His gospel, we can be filled with the light of our Savior. However, that light is not meant for you and me alone. Jesus Christ has called upon us to “let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” I have come to love the phrase “that they may see.” It is an earnest invitation from the Lord to be more intentional about helping others see the path and thereby come unto Christ.

I love the phrase “be more intentional about helping others to see the path.”

It was getting late when my mother called me into the kitchen and asked a simple question: “Bonnie, did you feed the chickens?”

My heart fell; I had not. Not wanting to leave the presence of an Apostle of the Lord, I suggested the chickens could fast until morning.

My mother replied with a definitive “no.” Just then, Elder Perry entered the kitchen and with his booming, enthusiastic voice asked, “Did I hear someone needs to feed the chickens? Can my son and I join you?”

Oh, what an absolute joy it now became to feed the chickens! I ran to get our large yellow flashlight. Excited, I led out, skipping over the well-worn path to the chicken coop. With flashlight swinging from my hand, we crossed the corn patch and passed through the wheat field.

Reaching the small irrigation ditch that crossed the path, I instinctively jumped over it as I had done many nights before. I was oblivious to Elder Perry’s efforts to keep up on a dark, unknown path. My dancing light did not help him see the ditch. Without a steady light to see, he stepped directly in the water and let out a loud groan. Panicked, I turned to see my new friend remove his soaking wet foot from the ditch and shaking the water from his heavy leather shoe.

With a soaked and sloshing shoe, Elder Perry helped me feed the chickens. When we were through, he lovingly instructed, “Bonnie, I need to see the path. I need the light to shine where I am walking.”

I was shining my light but not in a way that would help Elder Perry. Now, knowing that he needed my light to safely navigate the path, I focused the flashlight just ahead of his steps and we were able to return home with confidence.

My dear brothers and sisters, for years I’ve pondered the principle I learned from Elder Perry. The Lord’s invitation to let our light so shine is not just about randomly waving a beam of light and making the world generally brighter. It is about focusing our light so others may see the way to Christ. It is gathering Israel on this side of the veil—helping others see the next step forward in making and keeping sacred covenants with God.

Another lesson from Elder Perry here is the way he was in tune with someone wishing not to do what they ought and recognized a simple way that he could encourage and support them in doing what was right. In a way, he was shining his light just ahead of her steps so that she could do right with confidence and enthusiasm.

The woman at the well was a Samaritan who did not know Jesus Christ and was viewed by many as an outcast in her own society. Jesus met her and initiated a conversation. He spoke to her of water. He then led her to increased light as He declared Himself to be the “living water.”

Christ was compassionately aware of her and her needs. He met the woman where she was and started by talking about something familiar and common. If He had stopped there, it would have been a positive encounter. But it would not have resulted in her going to the city to proclaim, “Come, see … : is not this the Christ?” Gradually, through the conversation, she discovered Jesus Christ, and despite her past, she became an instrument of light, shining the way for others to see.

We need to establish rapport but we have to go on to share light too.

Now, in case you are thinking, “These are great 1,000-watt examples, but I’m a 20-watt bulb,” remember that the Savior testified, “I am the light which ye shall hold up.” He reminds us that He will bring the light if we will just point others to Him.

You and I have enough light to share right now. We can light the next step to help someone draw nearer to Jesus Christ, and then the next step, and the next.

She straight up answered my doubt about having any light to share. The only question remaining is how to effectively point my family toward Christ.

My dear friends, why is shining our light so important? The Lord has told us that “there are many yet on the earth … who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.” We can help. We can intentionally shine our light so others may see. We can extend an invitation. We can walk the journey with those who are taking a step toward the Savior, no matter how halting. We can gather Israel.