"To be or not to be..." ~ William Shakespeare
To Be...
"Be" is used to state the identity or quality that is permanent or temporary about a person, thing, or situation.
It started with a dream: I had a dream of the word "Be" written in white on cannonballs. They were being shot off into the world by the cannon with other words also attached to them. Upon waking I hear the words "Be the Light as I am the Light."
Be...
There are many words that can be attached to the word Be. Both positive and negative. As I pondered the dream I had and all the various meanings of what it meant, this verse came to mind:
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Death or life. We have a choice to choose with every word spoken and every action we take. To bring death or life to a person, thing, or situation.
As I type this we, as a world, are basically in quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Death or life. A choice to go about business as normal or to take precautions to help save lives.
To simply be. As the world comes, as it feels, to a slow pace. Almost a standstill as we wait to be released.
What are we doing during the waiting? What are we being? Are our thoughts and actions attributing to life or death?
Be:
Be kind or cruel
Be creative or lazy
Be funny or boring
Be loving or hateful
Be loyal or unfaithful
Be honest or deceitful
Be genuine or a fraud
Be fearless or fearful
Be generous or stingy
Be original or fake
Be brave or cowardly
Be grateful or ungrateful
Be unique or common
Be happy or depressed
There are so very many other words that can be attached to the word be with a life or death choice, but I think you get the point.
The choices made will have an effect on others even if we are not aware of the natural consequences of those choices.
"Be the light as I am the light."
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
Isaiah 60:19-20
“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
But let us who live in the light BE clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
I choose to be life for others.
I choose to be love as Jesus sets the example of what true love is.
I choose to be a light in these dark uncertain times we live in.
I choose to be fearless instead of spreading fear.
I choose to spread hope and faith because it is contagious.
I choose to be me as God has wonderfully made me.
I choose to be Joy.
What do you choose to BE?