A LAMP ON A LAMPSTAND

Luke 8:16 Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.

For everytime I have read this text, my attention appears to lean towards questions that seek to clarify the expected position of light. Thus, we see that a lit lamp belongs on top of a lampstand. This is the practical thing to do because the primary purpose of lighting a lamp is to bring illumination in darkness.

The contrasting point, where one covers a lit lamp with a container, or places it under a bed is impractical. However, beyond being “impractical”, it is simply dangerous. That is one dimension we may not have thought about.

While we have light bulbs now, lamps as used in those verses of scripture were likely “oil lamps”. Their presence under a bed presented an immediate fire hazard such that one could end up burning down an entire house with the sole purpose of hiding a lamp.

Whenever God lights the lamps of men, it is because  He is ready to put them on display. These lamps cannot be hid, they belong on lamp stands. So the question today is “how visible is my light? And how many are missing out because we have refused to shine?

#sly