It’s Friday and Five Minute Friday time!

You know the drill. We get our weekly prompt, let the spirit flow for five minutes, post, link up in the Community section at www.fiveminutefriday.com and — best part — visit other writers to support and encourage them.

For the past few months, I have also been sharing testimonials from fellow writers as outlined in Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. This week, I’ll share some words from Jen’s heart.

“FMF gave me a voice when I had none. In the midst of a messy divorce and really sad time it brought me community. I had an outlet for my words, thoughts, and feelings that was safe and welcoming and where my sharing, honesty, and being real was encouraged. Rather than hiding from what felt like the worst failure of my life (which is what I wanted to do for years), FMF helped me find myself again, little by little, one week at a time.”

Amen!

With that, the timer has been set so it’s time to tackle this week’s prompt — MORE. GO …

More of You, Lord, less of me.

That’s a pretty high bar … and may not exactly be accurate.

Certainly, the goal is to have the Light of Christ shine through us. And it has variations. He must increase; I must decrease, says John (Berean Study Bible). He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less (New Living Translation). Jesus must become more important, while I become less important (Contemporary English Version).

Where I take a slight veer, however, is the less of me part. The intent certainly is for us to get out of the way so that Light can shine. The problem is we were created by God the way we are. For some of us it’s bravado; for others charisma; still others it’s a quiet demeanor. For some it’s preaching or teaching; or other it’s writing and sharing; for others it’s through the example of quiet and prayer. There is no magic formula … and there is no way to diminish our role in the presentation of God’s Light and Truth.

I have a role in bringing the Lord to the forefront. You have a role in bringing the Lord to the forefront.

I understand the temptation to think we are more important than the message. It’s an easy trap. That’s what I fear. So I would modify the phrase to “More of You, Lord, through me as You need. Let me be the instrument You need and use.” STOP

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. — Robert Louis Stevenson