Lightning bugs dotted the night sky during my childhood summers, tiny flickers above our front yard. The summer air stuck to our skin as we chased the fireflies, cupping them in our hands to see their glow up close. Some we released, others we sealed in Mason jars, poking holes in the lids then setting them on the chest of drawers in our bedrooms to shine as nature-made nightlights.
Catching lightning bugs was a summer tradition, a seasonal rhythm of outdoor play as natural as riding bicycles with the neighborhood kids or satisfying our thirst with water from the hosepipe. The epitome of simple, southern, summer fun.
It had been years since I’d tried to spy fireflies, until last summer. We don’t see lightning bugs in our yard, presumably because there aren’t a lot of trees where we live. So when our local botanical garden emailed a list of summer activities, and it included a firefly hike, I wanted my family to go.
Bugs, even the glow-in-the-dark kind, do not automatically spark wonder and curiosity in my daughters. Their feelings are closer to fear and disgust. They have been known to abandon entire rooms in our house after seeing an insect on the wall or floor. As we waited in an amphitheater to begin the hike, Abby Kate and Lily cowered at the creepy crawlies they noticed on the ground.
“We are here for bugs, girls,” I told them as I laughed. “It will be OK.”
An expert volunteer guided us through trails, educating us at the start about habits and natures of fireflies. The bugs were hard to see at first and the girls were frustrated as they squinted to spot them. The deeper into the trail we walked, the easier the flashes were to find. Abby Kate and Lily began to light up too as they learned to catch and cup the lighting bugs in their hands. These bugs were fun! The girls weren’t afraid anymore.
Like those lightning bugs, our faith is easier for others to see when the places around us are dark. It’s a cinch to shine when life is good, when we feel God’s presence and are certain of our path. But like a lightning bug on a dark garden trail, our light – our faith – shines more brightly in the difficult days when we display courage and continue to trust God.
I learned from an early age, probably the same age I was chasing fireflies, that Jesus is the light of the world. We are called to be light, too. Not so the spotlight shines on us but so that we can illuminate a path for others to find Jesus.
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
The world is looking for light. For good. For hope. We can show them the way to the One who gives – the One who is – all of those things.
Our faith binds us to God’s promises. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us. He is always with us. Let’s shine those truths like lightning bugs on a summer night and remember that just as we hold lightning bugs gently in our hands, God holds us in His.
