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The 198 residents of Bondo, Switzerland want sunlight, and they’re planning to build a giant mirror to catch it.
According to an Associated Press story, Bondo lies so deep in the Bregaglia Valley that residents are deprived of sunlight between December and February. So, they are planning to build a $130,000 mirror to reflect sunlight down into their valley.
It’s been done before. The Italian town of Viganella installed a 26-by-16 feet sheet of reflective steel to direct sunlight to their homes at the bottom of a steep Alpine valley.
People long for light, and Christ expects his followers to shine in a dark world. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14, NLT). This Sunday, we’ll look at that compelling command in our continuing study through the Gospel of Matthew.
It’s a fitting Scripture text to study on this particular Sunday, since we’re celebrating our church’s anniversary this week. For eighty years and in three locations, Hillcrest has been “salt and light” to Austin. It’s a calling we’re still fulfilling in the twenty-first century.
Come for breakfast between 9:00-10:15am and share in one combined service at 10:30am. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper will be part of this special day, as well as a look at Christ’s command to be the light of the world.
West Virginia folklore carries a tale about a couple who called for a doctor late one night as the wife was ready to deliver a baby. The country physician turned the rustic farmhouse into a makeshift delivery room. The husband was handed a lantern and instructed to hold it up so the doctor could see. After a healthy boy was born the man lowered the lantern. The doctor shouted for this new father to get the lantern up as he delivered another baby-this time a girl. The father was thrown into shock when the doctor once again insisted that the light be held up. He said, “We can’t stop now, it looks like there’s another one.”
The shaky father then asked the doctor, “Do you think it’s the light that’s attracting ‘em?”
Actually, I’d say the hillbilly was on to something. As we put Christ’s teaching into practice, it illuminates the path for others. And those who have grown tired of a life without light will find that incredibly attractive.
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