We are all meant to shine!

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

We are meant to shine.

Marianne Williamson wrote these words in her excellent book, “A Return to Love”:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

I wonder what Wales would look like if we grasped this. A nation of people giving each other permission to shine. To excel. To be everything that God created us to be. Everyone shining with that light. One thing is clear, the darkness would never overpower us. Values such as justice and compassion would prevail. Those in need would be helped, those who are vulnerable would be protected, those who fall would be lifted up. And the name of Jesus would be proclaimed.

We were meant to shine, your playing small does not serve the world. Shine!

Revd Dr Mark Griffiths JP