Flashlight Freeze Tag

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:14-16; John 8:12; 15:7-8

Pierce and Quinn grabbed their flashlights and headed outside for a game of flashlight freeze tag.

Quinn moved among the shadows, silently sneaking up on friends and tapping them, freezing them in their spots. “Rats,” Emma said. “I didn’t see or hear you, Quinn.” Emma waited for a flashlight beacon to find her, unfreezing her to move again.

Quinn had gone off to tag others. Then his flashlight quit. He flicked it off and on, off and on. Nothing happened. That’s when Emma tapped him on the back. “Gotcha, Quinn. You’re frozen.”

After Emma ran off, Quinn’s voice filled the darkness. “Pierce, help! I’m frozen. My batteries are dead. And look out for Emma!”

“Good thing I always have extras,” said his brother. He touched Quinn with a beam of light and handed him more batteries.

“Thanks, Pierce.” Unfrozen and with a flashlight that worked, Quinn quietly disappeared into the darkness.

Later, the boys recapped their night. “Hey, I just thought of something,” said Quinn. “Remember the verse we learned in church—‘let your light shine before others’? I didn’t really understand what that meant, but I think I get it now.”

“How so?” asked Pierce.

“When we were tagged, we were frozen, stuck in the dark until someone touched us with a flashlight beam. Jesus is our flashlight. His light shines on us when we trust in Him, and we’re unfrozen from all our sinfulness. We’re free to move and think in new ways. We’re not wandering around in the dark because we have the Holy Spirit in us—Jesus’ light. And we can be a light for others.”

“I never thought about it like that, but yeah, you’re right,” said Pierce. “When your batteries died, you were stuck in the dark and couldn’t see. That’s what sin does to us. We need Jesus to unfreeze us and fill us with His light. Then we’re able to move and see clearly, and we can run to others and shine His light on them. Through our actions, they can see Him too. We’re like flashlights that shine Jesus’ light!”

“Yeah, our batteries may fail us, but Jesus never will,” said Quinn. “He’s an endless source of light.” – Helen K. Dening

How About You?

Do you feel like you’re stuck in the dark? Or like you’re in an endless game of freeze tag and you’re frozen in place? Sin keeps us in the dark, unable to move or do anything good. When we trust in Jesus, He frees us from sin and fills us with His light. Then we’re able to see and move so we can shine His light on others. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse:
Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus is our light