The Children’s Hour: “This Little Light of Mine”

A lesson to share with your children

This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine,
This little light of mine,
I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
All the time!

Don’t put it under a bushel, No!
I’m going to let it shine,
Don’t put it under a bushel, No!
I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
All the time!

Don’t let Satan blow it out!
I’m going to let it shine,
Don’t let Satan blow it out!
I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
All the time!

Let it shine till Jesus comes,
I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine till Jesus comes,
I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
All the time!

Jesus is the light that shines within us and gives us grace to shine even when trials come. Encourage your children to gather from this source of Light when things don’t go their way, by using a simple project to illustrate it. When I did this, we first read a story of someone in the Bible whose life shone with Christ (Dorcas, Peter, Paul, etc.) Afterwards, give each child a standard flat canning jar lid (not the ring), a small lump of clay, and a regular white birthday candle. Press the clay in the middle of the lid, coming up in a “blob” in the center. In this, stick the candle. If you wish to do so, you could cut a hole in the lid and put a wire through making a “finger loop” to hold the lamp. This can be dangerous if the wire is not secure, and with several children, it is not advisable. Your candle is now ready to light! Sing the first verse of the song and watch the children’s faces glow! When it comes to the second verse, hand each child a jar that fits completely over their lamp—a bushel. Place over the candle and watch what happens—the light will go out from lack of air. (If you don’t leave the bushel on too long the candle will revive, or relight.) Third verse: have the children try to blow out their lamps as Satan tries to do in our hearts. Remind them that when we are feeling grumpy and being naughty it is like we are putting a bushel over our light and Jesus can’t be seen. Or if we want to take something that doesn’t belong to us, Satan is trying to blow out our light. I’m sure the Lord can give you many more applications to make!

God bless you as you seek to get across God’s wonderful lessons to your little ones!

—A Sister in Christ