Lighting The Way Series

In the nineteenth century, lighthouses on the U.S. coasts were tended by lighthouse keepers and their families. If a man who tended the light took ill or became disabled, often the work was the picked up by his wife or children. This was the case of Hosea Lewis. In 1853, Lewis became the keeper of the light on Lime Rock Island in Rhode Island. Just four years later he suffered a stroke and his teenage daughter Ida assumed responsibility for the light. Each day included cleaning the reflectors, trimming the wick, and filling the oil reservoir at sunset and midnight, along with providing for her father’s care.

Because of the long and demanding tasks, Ida was unable to continue her schooling, but daily delivered her siblings to class, whatever the weather, by rowing the 500 yards to the mainland.

In the mid-1800s, it was unusual to see a woman maneuvering a boat, but Ida became well-known for her ability to handle the heavy boat. The teenager gained a measure of fame at age sixteen when she rescued four young men after their boat capsized. She rowed to their aid, hearing their screams as they clung to their overturned craft. On March 29, 1869, Ida saved two drowning servicemen from nearby Fort Adams.

Public knowledge of Ida’s courage spread as far as Washington, inspiring President

Ulysses S. Grant to visit Ida at Newport later that year. Ida rescued two more soldiers in

In early February of 1881. The two soldiers were crossing from Newport to Lime Rock Island on foot when the ice gave way. Ida, the lighthouse keeper, came running with a rope, ignoring peril to herself from the weakened ice, pulling the soldiers to safety.

For such an act of bravery and sacrifice, Ida was awarded the U.S. Lifesaving Service’s highest medal.

All told, Ida Lewis personally rescued some 25 people in fifty-plus years as keeper of the light.

Her last reported rescue came at age 63 when she saved a friend who had fallen into the water on her way to visit Ida on the island.

Asked where she found strength and courage for such a feat, Ida answered: ’I don’t know, I ain’t particularly strong. The Lord Almighty gives it to me when I need it, that’s all.’

Ida Lewis was a faithful steward. But the reason she was so faithful in her task is that she realized there would always be people who needed to be rescued.

SOURCE: http://www.vais.net/~cypress/ida.htm

Ida was a dedicated keeper of the light. Could I say that of myself, today? Could you, honestly say that you are as dedicated to keeping the light of Jesus and rescuing the perishing as Ida was in keeping the light on lime Rock Island? Ida was 63 when she made her last reported rescue. This tells me that we’re never too old to rescue the perishing.

We retire from work but we can never retire from being the light.

We’ve seen several things in these verses, so far. We’ll look at one more today.

1. The Place of Ministry: look at verse 14 and let’s see where the light is to shine.

The believer is to shine in the world. The world is the place where believers move about, it’s where they are to reflect their light. In other words, we minister to those around us. Why? Because the world is blind. The world’s vision is unclear. The world is groping in darkness and stumbling. The world is in trouble and unaware of the danger.

Because of the darkness around them they are unable to sense the danger of falling…

Have you ever been in a cave when they turned the lights out? The darkness overwhelms you and you can’t see a thing.

Have you ever been in one where they turn out the lights and said “See Ya!”

Suddenly you begin to remember the deep canyons and step cliffs that went straight down and you realize I can’t get out of here on my own.

If you can picture that then you have a small idea of what people trapped in the world face every day. We, as believers have experienced the light and know how wonderful it is to be in the light. But for many, darkness is all they have ever known.

Notice where the light is. The light is in the world. The city is in the world but the candlestick is in the home. So if the candle or my own personal light is in the house does this mean that I am responsible, only, for those within the four walls of my dwelling place? Jesus says that you ALL are the light of where? THE WORLD.

The problem that I have found, in my ministry is that many Christians have what I call “The lightning bug syndrome.” The problem is that, like the lightning bug, many Christians don’t want to light up the world, they just want to show their behind. They are more concerned with being noticed than being a light for those around them. “If I’m being a light to those in the dark, no one will notice my problems, my drama… NOBODY IS LOOKING AT ME…”