The Flame

Imagine a single flame on a single candle.  The light shines brightly, but can only penetrate the darkness so far.  Add to that another candle – separate yet equal and together they shine farther into the darkness.  To these two we add another, and another, and another until the darkness flees in defeat and the unlit candle that had once stood in the darkness springs to life at the touch of the flame.  Together the candles pursue the darkness sending forth their light to find yet another unlit candle, and another, and another and another.

When they find a candle that is hard to light … one that has been dampened by the press of the darkness … the candles stand together knowing that the flame that is in them can dry the wick of the damp candle until it too springs to life.

When they find a candle that once was lit and the wick is bent and tried … they stand even closer in silent witness until the wick that was once lit yearns to be re-lit and springs to life once again.

When a lit candle begins to flicker too high or waver too low … some of the other lit candles will gather close by and the elder candle will trim the wick of the wavering candle … trim it with love and trim it with care.  Love because for no other reason can the wick be trimmed and trimmed to the right length.  With care so that the elder candle not put a damper on the flame carried … that this flame not waver to the point of allowing the darkness back in.

If the candles gather together and share their flames … without fail the flame will grow … and when the candles must separate they will take with them the growth of the flame and force the darkness to flee even farther.

Only when the candles stand alone on their lonely hills can the darkness rule in the valleys.  When the candles do not group together to share their light and allow their flames to grow, only then will their lights waver to the point of rejection.  For the darkness will stand off from a single flame and work to trick, tempt or try the candle until the candle believes it is easier to let the darkness win and allow the flame to go out.

Instead the candles must gather together and share their flames.  And take their light into the valleys so that the darkness flees before it.

If you carry the Spirit of the Living God inside you then you are a lit candle.  Jesus said we are the Light of this world so make sure you gather together with other candles to share your flame.  Allow your wick to be trimmed when your elder says you need it.  And go out with your friends and by driving away the darkness find an unlit candle and bring it to life.

A. Tuvell