Are You a Light Bulb, a Vacuum, or a Window?

I think metaphors are kind of exciting.  They appeal to so many people because regardless of your level of intelligence, metaphors make it easy to understand almost anything.  Well here's a good metaphor I came up with for our relationships with God.

Are you a light bulb, a vacuum, or a window?  

Light Bulb:

Light bulbs are pretty cool.  They glow.  They give light.  They are a wonderful invention that has changed so many people's lives.  Well light bulbs, in people form, are pretty cool too.  They give stuff to people all the time.  They share their light with the world, they always try to please and make people happy.  And really they live a pretty good life.  A light bulb in a gym could light up a pretty good bit of the giant room.  Maybe not all of it, but one single light bulb can provide a lot for a LOT of people.

That is until they burn out...  That's the problem with being a light bulb.  You run out of your own personal power.  It fades away eventually.  And the danger with light bulbs is, if you really run out, then you're done.  You gotta get new parts to be a functional light bulbs again.  You run out of strength, resources, abilities.

Light Bulbs think they are enough without God.  They think well I can just not think about God that much and eventually I will achieve perfection.  Maybe a light bulb believes in God, but they don't spend any significant amount of time improving that spiritual relationship.  Well that can be really depressing.  The issues with light bulbs is that they believe that if they constantly give to people they might get something back... but unfortunately, in the long run that's not the case.  Light bulbs never get filled up again.  As their energy burns away, they are wasted away.  They spend so much time trying to make everyone realize what a pretty, awesome, fun lightbulb they are and that they can give so much to the world that they don't have any spiritual aspect to their lives.

Vacuum:
Vacuums are incredibly efficient.  They suck things in really really well.  They do a great job at taking things in and holding them close and not letting them go.  Vacuums, like light bulbs, are a one way street.  Vacuums spend SO much time focusing on God and internalizing their spiritual relationship.  They take in all that God has to give them.  They pray, they study, they think, they worship, just all God, all the time.

Well the issue with Vacuums is the get filled up and aren't nearly as efficient anymore...  They eventually run out of space to take in.  They get numb to the beauty and power that God is pouring into them.  When they have taken so much in but it just gets packed with everything else, it doesn't mean anything anymore.

Vacuums think that they can suck and take and pull from God constantly.  Even though thats not bad, its not enough.  They are only living half a life.  If by chance a vacuum does release their God stuff they have pulled in, its usually dumped in the trash and wasted.  No good comes out of it once it is gone from the Vacuum's spiritual self.  They spend so much time trying to show God that they love him and want him for themselves that they completely deny that God has other people he wants us to love too.

Window:  
Finally the window.  Windows, so long as they are open, freely share air, smells, sounds, physical stuff, and occasionally people (lol).  Windows can take stuff in, but they never really hold it long enough for it to get boring.  Windows constantly are sharing things that they take in with either the outside or the inside.

There is no "but" to the windows.  They aren't dependent on any self sponsored energy, they don't get filled up too much with stuff that it gets wasted.  Windows experience God, worship, love, and relate to him, and allow God to move through them to the world around.  Windows sometimes take in from the world.  Sometimes they take in from God.  Sometimes windows are a method of communication from God to people.  Sometimes windows see people as evidence of God.  Windows are OPEN.  To everyone, to God.  They are in touch with both their spiritual and relationship aspects of Christianity.  They aren't afraid because so long as they exist, they are able to just be, and God does all the work.  Windows don't require any energy, they are pulled out of and poured into by the force of those giving and taking.  Being a window is the greatest, most peaceful way of living.




I know a lot of windows.  They all are amazing people who are just genuinely happy.  That doesn't mean we all aren't a vacuum occasionally.  Or a light bulb.  We all have to experience different aspects of Christianity.  Being a window is just a happy medium.  I have experienced (In my short 18 years of life) a little bit of all three.  I can honestly say that the times I've experienced being a window were the happiest of my life.  If you've ever read any of the Bible... then you know that God wants us to love others.  Being a window is the greatest way to do that.  There is so much beauty in loving God and doing what he asks us to do.  I'm going to begin to spend my time trying to be a window.  I have a feeling God will give me more than my heart can desire.