CD#68 “The Parable Of The Candles”
Monday, January 01, 2001
“The Parable Of The Candles”
(What Kind Are You?)
(Transcript of CD#68)
I received this through my email, I don’t know who the author is, but it touched my heart. As I read this I felt lead to put together a Bible study concerning these candles which represent you and me: Christians!
There was a blackout one dark night. When the lights went out, I fumbled to the closet. I knew that in my closet there were some candles made just for a dark night. I lit four of the candles breathing a sigh of relief. I was turning to leave the closet with the largest candle in my hand when I heard a voice,
“Now, hold it right there.” I asked, “Who said that?”
“I did!” said the large candle. The voice was near my hand.
“Who are you, what are you”, I asked?
“I’m a candle.”
I lifted up the candle to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the wax, saying “don’t take me out of here”! “What”, I asked?
“You heard me, don’t take me out of this room!”
“What do you mean candle, I have to take you out of this room. You are a candle, it’s your job to give light in a darken place.”
The candle said, “Yes it is dark out there, but you can’t take me out.” The candle explained, “I need more preparation.”
I could not believe my ears, more preparation?
“Yeah I have decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won’t go out and make a bunch of mistakes. I’m just not ready at this time in my life as a candle! You would be surprised how distorted the glow of an untrained candle can be…”
“All right then,” I said. “Your not the only candle on the shelf in the closet. I’ll blow you out and take one of the others.”
But right then I heard other voices, “We aren’t going either!”
I turned to the other candles and said, “You are candles and your job is to light dark places.”
“Well, that may be what you think”, said the first one, “You may think we have to go, but I’m busy… I’m mediating on the importance of light, it’s really enlightening.”
“And you other two”, I asked, “are you going to stay to?”
A short, fat purple candle with plump cheeks spoke up, “I’m waiting to get my life together, I’m not stable enough.”
The last candle had a very beautiful voice, pleasant to the ear.” I’d like to help, really I would,” she explained, “but lighting the darkness is not my gift… I am a singer. I sing to other candles to encourage them to burn more brightly.” She began a rendition of “ This Little Light of Mine”. The other three candles joined in, filling the closet with singing…
I took a step back and considered the absurdity of all that had happened. Four perfectly healthy candles singing to each other about light but refusing to come out of the closet. Here is a question for you, when was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone? This world is full of darkness, with many people stumbling around trying to find their way. You can be a light for them, be just as faithful to the Lord as He is to you!