There are 3 candles in the figure above. If you notice, they each have different length. One is the longest, one middle length and the last, being the shortest. They each represent a phase in our lives. When we were younger, we have a longer life ahead of us, and much more wax to burn, hence, the longest candle represents a younger person. The shortest candle represent a person who is older and more seasoned in life. He may not have too long a period to life, hence this candle is the shortest. And the middle length candle represent most of us, where we are in the thriving age of energy and strength, and vision and mission and fire to live and to serve God. But if you notice, each candle burn with the same brightness. The longest candle doesnt burn brighter although it has more wax nor is the shortest candle the dimmest. The lesson is this; that each of us, whichever phase of life we are in, we all burn with the same brightness, if we are lit on. There's no such thing as because I'm younger and know less of God, I shine and contribute less. If you put any of this candle in a dark place, it will light the place up. Therefore, the encouragement is this, whichever phase of life you are in, you would burn equally bright if you are lit on. We should all strive to burn for Christ, sometimes, when we go through a rough patch of life and we feel unworthy, never feel that way because Christ has died for your sins and He has frogiven all our sins. So, in my opinion, to be unworthy of yourself is to deny what Christ has done on the cross.
In whichever ministry we are in, as long as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we will shine. Let's not be held back by self pity or bogged down by issues of life that we forget to shine; ie putting the candle under a bowl. Who does that?! We soemtimes do. We sometimes hope that people would not recognise that we are Christians, and therefore we could pretned doing things we always do, but in doing so, we are setting our body on fire. Playing with sin means burning oneself with fire. If only you would allow the Holy Spirit to direct your life, things would be very different. We should just be quiet before the Lord, pray and be patient and let the Spirit lead because only with the presence of the Spirit in us and in our lives, our outlook will be different and others will see a shining candle.
