There is an advertisement for a national motel chain that ends with the phrase, "We’ll leave the light on for you." Obviously, this is a marketing strategy that wants the customer to know they are always welcome at their facilities and they are there to accommodate their guests. The fact that they are leaving the light on suggests, at least to me, that they are willing to be interrupted in the middle of the night. With the light left on, a potential guest is reassured that its okay arrive at any time, even far into the night when most everyone else has already retired for the night.
Apparently the motel company is committed to accepting guests at any time. And the light is more than just a light to help them see in the dark. It is sending a message of hospitality and nocturnal state of readiness. They are "keeping their lamp burning."
In a series of teachings to his disciples, here we find Jesus urging his disciples to maintain a state of readiness, an attitude of watchfulness. Jesus illustrates this with the relationship of the servants to their master at a wedding. The servants are to be totally devoted, not letting fatigue or distractions divert them from their duties. Just as the master could come at any time, God can come at any time and Jesus wants them to be ready, thus they are to "keep their lamps burning."
What does it mean to keep our lamps burning? How can we be prepared for the unexpected arrival of God? In last week’s story Jesus warned against building a false sense of security. The man who built bigger barns to store his stuff was putting his trust in his possessions and not in God. In this story, Jesus is showing us the kind of lives we need to live to keep us in a state of readiness.
To keep our lamps burning means, first of all, to have an "open door" policy. Like the motel chain we are to be committed to hospitality, even in the middle of the night. You know how it is when you are visiting someone for the first time and you see a sign on the door that reads, "Beware of the Dog." You are hesitant to proceed. You aren’t sure if you are welcome or not.
When I was a child, my family used to travel to Northern Ohio to visit my grandparents. They were not always home when we arrived so they hid a key for us behind the thermometer on the porch. We knew just where it was and it gave us access to their home in their absence. That enabled us to enter their home and relax until they arrived. They had left the light on for us.
My grandparents’ home was accessible and we were welcome to enter. To keep our lamps burning means not just to make our homes accessible but our lives. If people can’t get close to us we are sending a signal that says, "beware." How do I do that, you ask? You have to be a good listener. You have to be willing to engage in conversation. You have to be willing to share.
Most people are "stuffers." They keep their problems to themselves. They are embarrassed to let others know how they feel. We keep our lamps burning through our willingness to divulge our innermost feelings and thoughts. God doesn’t want us to hide our feelings. When we give others an opening to be close then God is close.
It has been my experience that when people are in a crisis God is present. Unfortunately few people are able to witness God’s presence since they are so self absorbed and afraid. Jesus wants us to be open to the possibility that God can come anytime. When we are ready to receive God, God is there to serve us, like the master who told his servants to be seated while he served them a meal.
Last summer my family spent a week at Myrtle Beach. My Daughter and Son-in-law had rented a condo a few blocks from us. When they went to check it they were told they could not stay in the place that had rented. It seems that an animal had found its way into a wall and died. The place smelled awful. My daughter was very upset and came to her dad to vent her feelings. The rental agency had agreed to give them an alternative place, only a few blocks further away. Reluctantly they accepted. It turned out to be bigger, nicer and just right for her family and her brother. What seemed a crisis turned out to be a blessing.
We keep our lamps burning when we can see God working in the midst of a crisis. We are prepared and ready when we are willing to let God intervene, especially when things aren’t going the way we planned. Ironically, being ready for God means having the willingness to make adjustments and alter our agendas. It means being spontaneous and flexible.
To keep our lamps burning also means to open to change. Most people are comfortable with the status quo. They don’t want to rock the boat. They resist change and/or surprise. They are not willing to take risks. Their lives lack spontaneity and excitement. They are fearful and insecure.
There was a man in l924 who was willing to take a risk. He agreed to assume $28,000 debt of a troubled pharmacy. He made the business profit by increasing the volume of the newsstand and developing a home delivery service. He recruited 75 paper boys and increased his paper business to $30,000 a year. His drugstore had a soda fountain and ice cream was a popular attraction. He purchased a secret recipe from a local German vendor and began making other flavors. His secret was using twice the amount of butterfat. His menu grew to 28 flavors. His business grew and he expanded his ice cream stores to l35 in the year l935. His business continued to grow and in l954 he began operating motels. The man’s name was Howard Johnson.
His business succeeded because he was willing to take a risk. He was open to change. He was an unorthodox fellow who had no office or secretary. He frequently inspected his restaurants on a surprise basis. The company’s success is attributed to Johnson’s element of surprise and his insistence on maintaining high standards. By the way, Johnson had a "burning lamp" on his buildings. Each roof was painted bright orange and each had a weathervane. It was easy for people to find their way.
To keep our lamps burning means our lives are like a beacon to others. When we model flexibility, openness and hospitality others are drawn to us and want to be near us. Thus the kingdom of God is enhanced and the presence of God is experienced by others.
We keep our lamps burning by maintaining high standards. That means that we are concerned about quality. I was having a busy week one time and felt the pressure of completing my sermon. A friend said, "Why don’t you just wing it?" I personally find "winging it" unprofessional and unacceptable. We in the church should never do anything without doing our homework and applying the best methods and practices possible. It was the high standards of Howard Johnson that enabled his company to prosper. Jesus did not expect his disciples to "wing it." He had high expectations of them and expects the same for us today.
We keep our lamps burning when we are committed to keeping our lives in the best condition we can. That includes our bodies, our minds and our spirits. All deserve attention and nurturing. When all parts of us are in good condition and fine-tuned we are ready to face whatever comes our way. It means being hospitable and accessible, open to change and the willing to take risks. We never know when God will come for visit. The question is, "Will we be ready?" Hopefully the light will be on so God can feel at home.
Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio