By David A. Sargent
Ilion Jones writes that “On the great
biographer Ida M. Tarbell's 80th birthday, someone asked her
to name the greatest persons she had ever met. She
responded, ‘the greatest persons I have ever met are those
nobody knows anything about.’”
“Once the New York Times was asked to
help a group of club women decide on the twelve greatest
women in the United States. After due consideration, the
editors replied, ‘the twelve greatest women in the United
States are women who have never been heard of outside of
their own homes.’”
Jones concludes, “I ask you, who was
greater, Thomas A. Edison or his mother? When he was a young
lad his teacher sent him home with a note which said, ‘Your
child is dumb. We can't do anything for him.’ Mrs. Edison
wrote back, ‘You do not understand my boy. I will teach him
myself.’ And she did, with results that are well known. *
For many, the greatest influences for
good in their lives are from those who are not well-known to
the masses but loved and appreciated deeply by those who
have benefited from their wisdom and example.
The greatest person in your life –
well-known or not – is that person who has taught you about
Jesus, by his or her words and actions.
For many, that person has been a godly
mother or grandmother.
A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday
school presentation. His mother was in the front row to
prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with
her lips, but it did not help. Her son's memory was blank.
Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, “I am the
light of the world.” The child beamed and with great feeling
and a loud clear voice said, “My mother is the light of the
world!” **
Actually, Jesus is the Light of the world
(John 8:12). But we should consider to be GREAT those – like
godly mothers – who have enlightened us to that great truth.
Scripture records these words about John
the Baptist: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was
John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the
Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that
Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was
the true Light which gives light to every man coming into
the world” (John 1:6-9).
Therefore, John and all who are like him,
are the greatest persons we could ever know, for they bear
witness to the Light (Jesus) that we might develop our own
faith and ultimately follow that Light all the way to
heaven!
Jesus, the Light of the world, is the Way
out of the darkness and doom of sin (John 14:6). Jesus will
save those who place their faith and trust in Him (Acts
16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31),
confess His name before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are
baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin those who
continue to walk in the light of His word (1 John 1:7).
Great are those who
lead us to follow Jesus, the Light of the World.
Won’t YOU follow Him, too?
- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at
Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an
electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this
excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org
* Morning Glory, January 8, 1994, in illustrations from
www.bible.org;
** Bits and Pieces, August, 1989
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