All through the night the storm raged. Merciless waves crashed upon the little island and the lighthouse that had been built upon the rocky shore. But in the midst of all the darkness and din that small sentinel of protection stood intact, its light steadily shining to guide all mariners within the radius of its beam.

How important that light, but how small it seemed in all that vast expanse of sea and sky, how insignificant in comparison with the foam and fury of the winds and waves! Yet, throughout the night its light was sufficient to accomplish its purpose.

Christ Jesus called his followers "the light of the world." He told them—and us, too, for we also are his followers—to let our light shine. "Let your light so shine before men," he said, "that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ^{Matt. 5:14, 16;}

We do not have to measure the light or how far it throws its beams. We just have to keep it shining, that God may be glorified and mankind blessed. How can we do this? we ask. Christ Jesus tells us: through "good works"; through love and prayer; and, remembering the Saviour's precious example, through demonstration in daily living of the healing power of God's light and law.

"Let there be light" was God's first command; "and there was light." ^{Gen. 1:3;} In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes: "This light is not from the sun nor from volcanic flames, but it is the revelation of Truth and of spiritual ideas. This also shows that there is no place where God's light is not seen, since Truth, Life, and Love fill immensity and are ever-present." ^{Science and Health, p. 504;}

"No place where God's light is not seen." What a wonderful revelation of love and protection this is for all mankind, and how important that each one of us reflect this light, joyfully, confidently, in every thought and deed, recognizing what a waste of time and how foolish it is to argue that our light is unimportant or that another's light is more acceptable than ours!

Each one's light, his love and prayer, is needed—each one's acceptance of "the revelation of Truth and of spiritual ideas" as the pattern for living. Comparisons, self-depreciation, self-condemnation—self-aggrandizement as well—all are unwarranted. God has given each of us the intelligence, love, and courage for mastering every situation life presents. He has given us dominion and the ability to use this dominion confidently and effectively. Storm and stress do not blot out the light of Love; and there is no place where Love's light is not shining, no situation where we cannot reflect it.

But can our light and the living of the spiritual idea it represents really help in the healing of mankind? Yes, it can. Christian Science teaches us that there are not minds many or gods many. There is one Mind only, one God, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, guiding, guarding, and governing the universe including man. All the fury of evil cannot obscure the truth and love of God or our expression of them.

The faithful keeper of the light atop the little island lighthouse did not question the ability of the light to shine. He expected it to shine. He kept it in readiness for that shining. So must we keep our spiritual light in readiness for serving God and mankind.

Even though material science has made tremendous strides in overcoming limitations of many kinds, the world still seems to be buffeted with confusion and fear. This is ever the nature of materialism and of reliance upon matter for health and happiness. But the glorious light of Christ Jesus' healing ministry, shining today through Science, can bring to the hearts of men that faith in the Christ, Truth, which will guide the world out of its awful darkness, pain, and fear.

What is man? A poor, frustrated, feeble mortal made of the dust of the ground, son of a mythical dust-man named Adam, and subject to the ephemeral nature of dust, to disease, decrepitude, and disaster? Or is he the son of God, subject only to the eternal, infallible, perfect law of God? "God created man in his own image," the Bible tells us. "In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." ^{Gen. 1:27;} In the textbook Mrs. Eddy defines man as "the compound idea of infinite Spirit; the spiritual image and likeness of God; the full representation of Mind." ^{Science and Health, p. 591.}

Daily, in our homes, businesses, world, we can demonstrate our identity as the representative of Mind, truly reflect the infinite Light, God, and lovingly let that Light shine in our every thought and action. We may be tempted, perhaps, to think that the light we express must be some great and spectacular victory over evil, some outstanding demonstration of healing. Or we may be hesitant to let our light shine for fear of persecution or ridicule, or in the belief that we would be trespassing upon the cherished opinions of someone else. But these arguments are fallacious. Whether we have what may be termed "great" deeds to do or only what may seem the very small deeds of daily living, the command stands: "Let your light so shine." As for the results of such shining, surely we can leave them to the Light itself.

All the storms of disbelief, misunderstanding, skepticism, doubt, discouragement, and pain cannot prevail against the glory of that "revelation of Truth and of spiritual ideas," which the Christ forever brings to the world and which Christian Science so simply and clearly makes practical.