Consider the flashlight

Equipment needed: Flashlight, a paper grocery bag and darkness.

Consider the flashlight. Think how useful it is as we find our way along the trail at night or prepare to bed down in our tents.

Consider the batteries in our flashlight. If we keep them too long or use them too much eventually they loose their power and our light dims beyond usefulness.

Consider that if we have only one flashlight for a group of people, only the one person holding the light determines what we will see or what directon we will proceed. If we have many lights, we have many possibilities and choices to make. Also notice that if everyone holds his light high at the same time, the light fills an area larger than if everyone holds their light low. Notice how the group benefits from the light held high.

Consider what happens if we put our light inside a paper bag and turn it on. We can see what is inside the bag very well but can not see things outside the bag well at all bacause the bag cuts the light. Sometimes it is important to see inside the bag. sometimes it is important to see outside the bag.

The flashlight is like us, like people. We are most useful and helpful to others when we are outside the bag and in groups.

The batteries are like our beliefs and our ideas. Sometimes they need recharging or replacing inorder for the light to remain useful.

The bag represents some of the choices we make about sharing our selves with others.

How will you hold your light? How Long will your batteries last? How many bags do you bring along and is there anything worth finding inside?

Consider the flashlight.