I like this idea, I imagine an old study, mahogany walls, leather furniture. Soft music playing in the background and a single candle illuminating the room so that it can all be seen. Darkness enveloping everything except that single candle. Burning brightly as best it can.
I hate this idea. In that previous image it was one candle against the crushing blackness. This is a very individualistic view of Christianity.
A single puff of air could snuff that candle out and bring the room back into its natural state of darkness. One drop of water could render that wick un-lightable.
Christianity is not about single candles burning in their own world of darkness. Christianity is about 2.18 Billion candles burning so bright that it eliminates the darkness.
Let's go back to the image of the room for a moment. Imagine, no longer that there is a single candle burning in that small room, but imagine that the room is now packed with all 2.18 billion candles. The room would be consumed by the fire, each candle would melt almost instantly into one giant body of wax. The fire would then rage out of the room and spread to the surrounding rooms, consuming the entire house. This is what Christianity is.
Jesus said that a city on a hill cannot be hid. This is even more true when that city is on fire. People from every city within view would go to investigate why the city was on fire. It would make every headline in every city of every country if an entire city were consumed by a raging fire.
This is what the body of Christ is. We are not a single candle in the darkness. We are a single candle in the light, combining to form the body of Christ, which is the Church. 1 Timothy 3:15 says "if I am delayed, you will know how people conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."
We are the body of Christ. We are made up of arms, legs, and heads. The do-ers, the missionaries, and the thinkers. We must be a body. A house divided against itself cannot stand.
We are the light of the world. Therefore, "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
