Lamp On A Stand

Luke 8:16-21

“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Jesus was talking about the parables of seeds in the verses before this, saying how different seeds (God's Words) thrown at different soil condition/location (human's heart) will produce different results (faith and life change).

I'm thinking, what does it mean with whoever has will be given more? What does it mean by whoever that does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them? Does the has refers to material possession? Or God's light? Or has as in people who have listened to God's Words?

“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” This line also puts emphasis on Jesus' definition of listening to God's words. Hearing without doing is pointless, I guess, just like faith without action is a dead, empty faith. A change of one's course of action comes naturally with a change of heart.

"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light." No one who's experienced God's love and built intimate relationship with Jesus will be able to suppress the urge to spread His words. It's similar to a glass filled with an endless stream of fresh water. It overflows.

Being filled with God's love is like a heart overflowing with compassion, joy, peace, gentleness, and warmth. Which being on earth doesn't desire that kind of heart? It is like an internal force from within us, unable to resist the pressure of love oozing out of our self. God is supernaturally amazing.

Prayer today: Thank you Lord for your great love for me. Thank you for reaching out to me first, and make me realise that everything else in life is connected to You. Dear God, teach me to surrender my life even more and to rely on Your guidance even more. Open my eyes to see life more clearly, so I can understand Your wisdom and know Your heart deeper. Make me humbler, guard the light You've put in my heart, and teach me to obey Your instructions. Tell me more about discipline, Lord. In Jesus name I pray, amen.