This coming Sunday (Nov. 1st) is All Saint’s Sunday. For many centuries, the Church has set aside this day as a day to celebrate the great role models of faithful discipleship who have gone before us. But here’s the thing – you don’t have to be dead to be a saint! Most of the time, when the Bible speaks of saints, it is referring to disciples of Jesus who are actively serving God’s purposes in the world.
One of the best illustrations of a saint I ever heard came from a small child who attended a church that had big stained glass windows depicting the lives of various saints. When her teacher asked her what a saint was, she said, “A saint is someone who the light shines through.”
I couldn’t have put it better myself. A saint is someone who allows God’s light and love to flow through them. Saints are human beings (flawed in all the way human beings can be flawed) who have placed their lives in God’s care and have offered to serve God in whatever ways he calls them.
I look forward to joining with all the saints of First Christian in worship this weekend. I hope to see you there!