We Are Literally Wearing The Light Out!

I have an isolated set of task lights in our call center at each workstation. These lights are wired to a separate power supply that is backed up on battery. These are set up in two strings to back-up the back-up. Perhaps that seems over prepared but when the volunteers are taking calls for prayer anything can and usually does happen.

Everything can be going fine until the calls start to come in. A chance to pray or lead someone to Christ and the AC warms instead of cools, the electricity fails or worse… we run out of coffee. So we keep fans, batteries and reserves of coffee just in case. This morning I just received a shipment of new lamps and bulbs. Why? Because our teams of faithful volunteers haven’t just worn the bulbs out, they have worn the lamps out. Don’t misunderstand; they do take care of things. However, just the sheer demands of handling calls at numerous times and occasions will take its toll on the basic necessities.

As a matter of simple common sense I open each lamp in my office and pre-test them before having them distributed and placed in position. This batch is a slightly different design and needed an extra moment to set up. I turned the rotating knob to test and instant disappointment. Yes, the light did come on, but it was dim. So dim that I knew this wouldn’t do the job for us. Frustrated I pulled the packing slips and started to call my order person to make arrangements to return boxes of lamps. As I did, I turned the knob so the bulb could cool down for repackaging. Of course that is when the lamp came up to full brightness. There are two settings on the new lamps, low and high.

Lesson learned? Yes of course test the obvious first, but more important a subtle reminder about believers. We all have access to the same power through the Spirit and the Word, but do we use it? Perhaps more important, are we perhaps sometimes guilty of being connected but running without accessing full power? We have our Bibles but do we read daily and commit passages to memory? We have local churches but are we really turning the knob to full power or are we coasting when we could be really passionately connected? Having salvation is running on low, sharing our faith is turning the switch to full; mentoring the one we lead to Christ might need a three way switch!

Ask yourself this question, what is some element in your life where you are ready to turn the knob to full power?

Copyright 2010 © Charles Lyons
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”