Small Gifts of Light

For [ye are] set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men; D&C 103:9

An excerpt from a talk:

The quote I am using is from a little book, At the Master’s Feet, published in India in 1922. It relates the experiences of Sundar Singh, a young Hindu man, who despite threats and great opposition, converted to Christianity.

Like the young boy Samuel, who heard the voice of the Lord, Sundar heard and recorded an insight that the Lord had given him about the importance of the seemingly small gifts we have to offer and how those gifts can bless others.

"There are little creatures far inferior to man, like the firefly, with its flickering light, and certain small plants among the vegetation in the Himalayas, which by their faint phosphorescent radiance illuminate as far as they can the dark jungle where they live. Tiny fish also that swim in the deep waters of the ocean give forth a glimmering light which guides other fish and helps them to elude their enemies.

How much more ought My children to be lights in the world (Matt 5:14) and be eager in self-sacrifice to bring into the way of truth, by means of their God-given light, those who by reason of darkness are liable to become the prey of Satan."

The phrase, “those who by reason of darkness are liable to become the prey of Satan,” applies especially to our youth who are inexperienced and sometimes naive regarding Satan’s tactics as a spiritual terrorist bent on the destruction of all we hold dear.

Several years ago, before the events of September 11th, I read a newspaper account of a kindergarten teacher who had taken her class on a field trip to the World Trade Center. It was on that same day that a car bomb was exploded in the basement. The explosion shook the building, plunging it into darkness; and sent choking dust and smoke up to the 34th floor where they were.

After ascertaining that all the children were unharmed, the teacher faced the daunting task of calming the fears of her young charges and getting them safely out of the building. The only available light was the Day-Glo feature on a Timex™ wrist watch belonging to a man who was in the same area. While the man held up his arm and pushed the button on his watch to give its tiny green glow, the teacher had the children link together by holding hands.

Seeking to comfort and calm the little ones in the confusion and darkness, the teacher began singing the familiar refrain from the Barney© song:

I love you, you love me. We’re best friends like friends should be...

The song and the light gave the children (and many of the adults who followed behind them) the courage to proceed in a difficult and unfamiliar situation. They continued singing until they were safely outside. Another man who had heard them singing remarked that he had previously been annoyed by the song, but that day, Barney had never sounded more brave.

The fireflies, tiny fish, and the glowing watch face are examples of the scriptural truth, “...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass (Alma 37:6).” We are surrounded by much darkness, but Heavenly Father has shown His confidence in us by comparing the saints to lights that shine in a dark world (D&C 103:9).