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Jim Griffith Columnist

Published Sunday, January 15, 2012

'What we need is more light'

Congressional Republicans have thrown a delay switch on a law that sets new energy-saving standards for light bulbs, holding off until October enforcement of standards that some fear will bring about the end of the old-style, 100-watt bulbs that served us well for many years.

Just the other night, when changing a burned-out light bulb, I said: "You know, I already miss the old 100-watt and higher light bulbs that I could see by."

But there is another, even more important light that concerns me. Before we get too far into the new year 2012, it is a good thing to consider how we can get more light for living in our personal lives.

It is an old but a good story. A terrible fuss broke out one Sunday morning at the local Baptist church in a small community out in the country.

At the close of the preaching service, a longtime female member of the congregation had the "audacity," some of the men said, to get on her feet and make a recommendation.

Action on the recommendation was put off until next Sunday when the little auditorium was packed with people anxious to see what was going to happen.

Again, she stood to her feet, cleared her throat, and said, "I make a motion that we buy a chandelier for our auditorium."

A veteran deacon sprang to his feet and said, "I'm against it! In the first place, we don't have enough in the treasury to pay for it. Besides that, there ain't nobody in the church who knows how to play one. And what we really need is more light!"

In one sense, he was right. What many congregations need is more of the light of kindness and love for one another shining in and through them.

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