A sudden blackout occurred during an evening storm causing total darkness in our home and neighborhood. Lights, appliances, and all the electronic devices we are blessed to enjoy—the computer, TV, and telephone succumbed to the outage. I was bummed.

Then, I recalled Ben Franklin’s advice: “Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.” I managed to navigate through the dark to find that ancient alternative tucked away in a drawer. With one click of a lighter, the small, soft glow of the burning taper dispelled the blackness in the room. 

The luminance of the candle fascinated me. As I watched it yield its wax to the flaming wick, I marveled at the power of one little light to penetrate the darkness. I thought of the Light we celebrate during the Advent season—Jesus, heaven-sent by God, who came into this dark world, declaring Himself to be its Light.

I remembered, too, that because I am His follower, I have the Light of life. And, He says, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:14 (NIV) At times I am overwhelmed by the world’s darkness—a temporary “power outage” beyond my control. Yet, I can choose to be like the light of this one small candle—dispelling the gloom in my small corner of the world. Instead of cursing the darkness, I can let my little light shine. 

Lord, help me to remember the Power within me is greater than that in the world.