I am always looking for the Light on a person’s countenance. It’s not at all what I once thought it was. Someone can be genuinely smiling from ear to ear and have no light on their countenance. A countenance aglow is much more than just the reflection of happiness; it’s the reflection of the Light of Christ.
Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.
John 8:12 AMP
Looking for the Light in Christians
In the years of my life leading up to salvation, I met many people who identified as Christian. Of those many, a handful were unforgettable because they made a lasting impression on me. It had as much to do with what they didn’t do as what they did. One man in particular stands out as a vessel of kindness that was simply not natural.
Kindness is not the same as being nice, though they’re often used synonymously. Kindness is deeper than etiquette or superficial behavior. Kindness doesn’t need words or actions. Like love, it moves directly out of our hearts. I was young when I met this man; his daughter was my best friend. He was quiet and smiled easily. He was a big bear of a man in my memory, but he radiated warmth and security. I can still see his face and hear his laugh. This was a man who loved more than he was loved, and I now know how impossible that is without the Lord. As a child, I saw clearer than I did for most of my adult life, and what I saw was the Light. This wonderful man had Light on his countenance.
Looking for the Light in Strangers
Regular old wickedness is so common that it doesn’t even stand out. When people leave impressions on us without saying a word, it’s usually because they’re either glowing or glowering. A bright Light or a soul-sucking darkness.
I used to think that a person in the Light would “light up a room.” I have not found this to be the case. All it takes to light up a room is charm or charisma, and those are attributes of the flesh, not the Spirit. My experience now is that a glowing countenance is accompanied by an indefinable peace, an otherworldly quality that defies description or definition.
The closest I’ve ever come to describing it is to note that a person with Light on their countenance is missing the aura of need that surrounds the rest of us. And it isn’t that they have no need, it’s that they aren’t seeking a human host to meet their need. As a result, it’s both peaceful and disconcerting to be around them. It’s peaceful because there’s no undercurrent of expectation grabbing at me, and disconcerting because I’m so used to that grabby expectation. You cannot fake the Lighted countenance or the accompanying peace because neither originates from humanity. It’s the mystery of Christ, up close and personal.
Looking for the Light When It’s Dark
I think about these beautiful people and I ask God to bless them. I was marked by them, by the Light they carried. I didn’t forget them, even in my most wretched days. Somehow they served as a reminder that there was Someone out there who wasn’t broken, who wasn’t a liar, who was so much more than I could possibly imagine. I was looking for the Light, though I didn’t know it, and they were Lighthouses in the dark.
For light is capable of “showing up” everything for what it really is. It is even possible (after all, it happened to you!) for light to turn the thing it shines upon into light also. Thus God speaks through the scriptures: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Ephesians 5:13-14 PHILLIPS
And so He did. I don’t want to impede the move of the Light in my life. Every time I see a countenance full of Light, I’m reminded of who Jesus is and what He does with my yes to Him. He gives me Light! Everyone looking for the Light is really looking for Him, and I’d like to shine the way just as others did for me.
BTW, I am so grateful for the links to other sources that you and John include in your posts. This provides an opportunity to dig deeper into these truths. Thank you.
“It’s the mystery of Christ, up close and personal.” Oh my, yes, He is altogether lovely!
…”a person with Light… is missing the aura of need…”
Oh my, all need eridicated ias we live continually in the LIGHT of His PRESENCE .
Thank you Jennifer and Shulamite team for being His lightbearers.
Oh yes, yes, yes! Jesus told us to let our light shine so that God would receive glory. The last sentence of your post today Jennifer is a beautiful summary of our deepest need – Jesus. And yes, dear one, you do shine. I love you precious sister and thank you for being a vessel of honor that shows forth His light and His truth.
Thanks, Jennifer…this was such a beautiful message today. You did a masterful job of providing distinctions as to what it is and what it is not. It’s so true that when you encounter a person who has this LIGHT, it emanates from within and you just know that this person has been with Jesus. It’s the glory on the face of Moses after being in God’s presence. It’s the LIGHT that all of you at Shulamite ministries radiate with. So blessed and grateful to God for all of you!
Beautiful gift of God. Poetry.
Love.
…”a person with Light… is missing the aura of need…”
That’s brilliant, Jennifer! This never came to my mind, but you hit the target! A person who brings His Light also is filled with HIS Life; and so it must be a person who died to self. As long as our main goal is ourselves and our well-being or needs or lacks or whatsoever, we won’t radiate a single beam.
Therefore it’s given to those most unconsciously, who would simply follow Him without conditions
Praying to see you soon.
I totally agree! What an amazing way of stating that, and beyond that the reality of what she said! Wow!
Everytime you touch “Light” theme, I come “aglow”.
Bless you Jen.
xxx
Oh Jennifer may I pray this prayer also to SHINE with HIS LIGHT and LIFE to bring others to HIM, the LIFE and LIGHT of our life.