So the other day it absolutely threw it down – sheets of water pouring from the sky. Didn’t look like a day for going out. But boy, was I wrong…
Next time I looked up from my computer the sun was streaming through the window in bright shafts playing on dancing dust. “I can’t sit here any more. Off to the park we go!”
It was sparkling, the air clean and fresh. The rain had washed all traces of pollution far away.
As I wandered along drinking in the pools of water and fragrance of recently drenched earth, a tiny waterproof-enrobed figure waddled up to me and thrust a conker in my hand.
“Thank you!” I said. “Conkers are one of my favourite things.” Such bright little treasures drawing you in to touch them, stroke them, so shiiiiiny 😁.
And that morning as I revelled in God’s creation, I was reminded of three things:
1. Conkers, though shiny and bright when they first pop from their shells, don’t take long to dull and go wrinkly. You simply have to collect more next day to keep your natural-things shelf looking smart! (Or is that just me…?)
And it’s like that with Jesus. If we don’t come back to Him regularly our lives can shrivel up. We all need a daily filling of the Holy Spirit:
“Don’t be drunk with wine… Instead let the Holy Spirit control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.” – Eph 5:18-19 (NLT)
2. Now I don’t advocate eating conkers, especially if you’re only 1.5 feet tall, but that’s exactly what this wee toddler was doing (until dad came along anyway…).
In contrast, we do need to ‘eat’ Jesus every day! Spend time with Him, get to know Him, read His story in the Bible, talk with Him in prayer. When we fix our eyes on Jesus it’s so much easier to proceed through life:
“…Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish… Think about all he endured…so that you don’t become weary and give up.” – Heb 12:1-3 (NLT)
3. And when we walk closely with Jesus, we can’t fail to share him with others.
As that little boy gave me his conker, when you know Jesus He will shine out from you. And people will be attracted:
“You are the light of the world – like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all to see…so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matt 5:14-16 (NLT)
So next time you find a conker, before the desire for whacking your friend’s specimen into oblivion overtakes you, remember these things.
And above all, shine!
God bless xx