I want to be like the sun. Each morning, I wake up, and the sun greets me with a glorious wave, with streams of pinkish light reaching down to wipe the sleep off my face. As the day goes on, the sun grows warmer, smiling down on my little life, laughing in the corner of the window and dancing at the top of the sky. In the afternoon, the sun sweetly caresses my arm, reminding me to stop and soak in the joys of the world. When the sun sets, it waves goodbye with brilliant flashes of orange and pink, blowing kisses and promising to come again soon. After the sun is gone and on the days that the clouds cover its face, I can’t help but miss its happy rays. I shout for joy when the sun returns or peeks through the cloudy curtains. It’s not just me who gets this special treatment; the sun embraces the whole world. Everybody needs the sun, and its warmth and cheer are loved by all.
I am not like the sun. As much as I want to, I cannot be the person to brighten everyone’s day. I try to be polite and friendly, but I’m not the one who lights up a room, who makes everyone feel happy and special. I’m not the one who people always talk about with affection, who is sorely missed and could do no wrong. It is not my calling or my job to cheer everyone up, but I still struggle to accept that fact. I want to be loved by all. Since I love those who are little pieces of the sun, I wish that I could be like them. However, I was simply not created to shine on everyone around me; I have a different purpose that I need to accept.
I am more like a lantern. I am called to shine for those struggling in the dark, who have no sun to light up their day. I will not light the way for everyone, but for the one who’s lost in the woods and can’t find a flashlight, I will be there to help. When the sun has set, when the power is out, when darkness seems suffocating, I can comfort and guide one to safety. In the day, my light is not as bright, but at night, my light shines brighter than the sun ever could. I didn’t start shining by myself; I only know how to shine because others have lit the path for me before. Like a lantern, I will not always shine my light, but when the time is right, I take what I’ve learned, and I use it to walk with others, showing them the way and giving them a glimmer of hope and a glimpse of the sun.
Some people are like the sun, some are not. Some are rays of sunshine, bringing a smile to everyone’s face. Some are like me, lanterns that guide those who are lost in the dark. Others might be like lighthouses, beacons in the night, warning people of nearby rocks that could dash them to pieces. Some people are like chandeliers, pieces of art that brilliantly sparkle and dazzle, and others are like campfires, keeping people warm and safe. Not everyone shines in the same way, and that is a good and beautiful thing. God didn’t create people to all be the same; He calls each of His children to share His light in a unique way. 1 Corinthians 12 explains this perfectly, showing that each person has special gifts, and we should use these gifts to love God and love others. When we embrace our gifts and individual callings, we glorify the Lord, shining even brighter because we are doing what we were created to do. While I would love to be like the sun, I can celebrate the Creator’s brilliance, creativity, and love, for He knew exactly what He was doing when He called me to be like a lantern instead of the sun.