This story of the brave children is based on fact and has been told before. It is a powerful illustration of the importance of doing good.
On the coast of a wild northern rocky land stood a tall lighthouse on a rocky island so small one could walk from one end to the other in a few minutes. The lighthouse was vital; it lit the way through the narrow passage of rocky shoals guiding ships to safe passage.
In it lived a light housekeeper, Sean, and his two children, Marie and Francis. Every night all three would climb the tower and the children would watch Sean light the lamp and gasp as the light magnified and reflected in the mirror filling the chamber with golden light and casting the light far out to sea.
"Papa," Marie would ask," Why do we light the lamp?'
"We must light the lamp. It shows the way. Without it the ships will be lost and wreck upon the rocks."
One day, Sean rowed to the mainland village to get provisions. While he was gone a terrific storm raced over the horizon. The gale was mighty and the seas wilder than ever. Sean fought the wind and the waves yet was unable to row the boat back to the lighthouse.
The time to light the lamp came. Marie said to her little brother, "Papa is late. We must light the lamp, Francis." The two children climbed the long narrow winding stairs to the top of the tower. Marie pulled a chair up to light the lamp inside the large mirrored reflector. She climbed up on the chair but the lamp was too high for her to reach. "I know. Wait here, Francis." She went down the stairs and a few minutes later came back carrying an oil lamp from the kitchen. "I will hold this up so the ships can see the light." She climbed the chair but was still too short for the reflector to catch the light. Again and again she tried but was not able to reach the mirror with the lamp.
In the little boat, Sean struggled against the sea. The wild black night wrapped around him, he was without bearing and feared that he would miss the lighthouse in the dark and be smashed on the rocks. He strained to see the lights of the lighthouse. "Where is it? Is it to the right or the left," he thought. "No, maybe I have turned around and am rowing to the rocky shore."
Marie felt desperate. On her toes and trying to reach as high as she could she was still far short of the mirror. "Come down, I have an idea," said Francis. Marie came down and Francis climbed on the chair." Now you climb on top of me and stand on my shoulders." Marie stood on his shoulders and held up the little lamp. The reflector caught the light and magnifying it cast it out to sea. She held the lamp with one hand and when her arm was too tired held it with the other.
"Francis," She said as minutes turned to hours, "This is hard. Are you getting tired? Does it hurt?"
"Yes, it hurts. But we must keep the light shining."
Sean saw the light and now with bearings, he rowed with fury to the lighthouse and his own safety.
Out at sea a ship carrying over a thousand troops back from the wars saw the light and was guided safely through the rocky shoals.
We never know who we are guiding to safety- we must keep the light up.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14
(C)Adron Dozat
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Adron
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WE MUST KEEP OUR LIGHT BURNING
WE MUST KEEP OUR LIGHT BURNING
On the coast of a wild northern rocky land stood a tall lighthouse on a rocky island so small one could walk from one end to the other in a few minutes. The lighthouse was vital; it lit the way through the narrow passage of rocky shoals guiding ships to safe passage.
In it lived a light housekeeper, Sean, and his two children, Marie and Francis. Every night all three would climb the tower and the children would watch Sean light the lamp and gasp as the light magnified and reflected in the mirror filling the chamber with golden light and casting the light far out to sea.
"Papa," Marie would ask," Why do we light the lamp?'
"We must light the lamp. It shows the way. Without it the ships will be lost and wreck upon the rocks."
One day, Sean rowed to the mainland village to get provisions. While he was gone a terrific storm raced over the horizon. The gale was mighty and the seas wilder than ever. Sean fought the wind and the waves yet was unable to row the boat back to the lighthouse.
The time to light the lamp came. Marie said to her little brother, "Papa is late. We must light the lamp, Francis." The two children climbed the long narrow winding stairs to the top of the tower. Marie pulled a chair up to light the lamp inside the large mirrored reflector. She climbed up on the chair but the lamp was too high for her to reach. "I know. Wait here, Francis." She went down the stairs and a few minutes later came back carrying an oil lamp from the kitchen. "I will hold this up so the ships can see the light." She climbed the chair but was still too short for the reflector to catch the light. Again and again she tried but was not able to reach the mirror with the lamp.
In the little boat, Sean struggled against the sea. The wild black night wrapped around him, he was without bearing and feared that he would miss the lighthouse in the dark and be smashed on the rocks. He strained to see the lights of the lighthouse. "Where is it? Is it to the right or the left," he thought. "No, maybe I have turned around and am rowing to the rocky shore."
Marie felt desperate. On her toes and trying to reach as high as she could she was still far short of the mirror. "Come down, I have an idea," said Francis. Marie came down and Francis climbed on the chair." Now you climb on top of me and stand on my shoulders." Marie stood on his shoulders and held up the little lamp. The reflector caught the light and magnifying it cast it out to sea. She held the lamp with one hand and when her arm was too tired held it with the other.
"Francis," She said as minutes turned to hours, "This is hard. Are you getting tired? Does it hurt?"
"Yes, it hurts. But we must keep the light shining."
Sean saw the light and now with bearings, he rowed with fury to the lighthouse and his own safety.
Out at sea a ship carrying over a thousand troops back from the wars saw the light and was guided safely through the rocky shoals.
We never know who we are guiding to safety- we must keep the light up.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14
(C)Adron Dozat
___________________________
Adron
Make a small gift and print a story. Use the PayPal button in the sidebar. Thank You.
Use the buttons below to share this post. Thank you.
