HIS LIGHT STILL SHINES

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2

​A wooden table lamp stands on my desk in my office. It is more than a lamp, however. It is a memorial to a man that could not be beaten down. His name was Merlin, and in spite of all that he went through in life that could have made him hateful and bitter, he was one of the kindest, most generous men I ever knew.

​Merlin grew up in a large family, and, for some reason, he was singled out as the family whipping boy. He was at times without shoes and had to stand in fresh cow manure to keep his feet from freezing as he did his chores. While the other children would get Christmas gifts, all he ever got was the tail of a pig, wrapped up like a gift. These and many more acts of rejection made up his life growing up.

​But Merlin learned woodworking and eventually ran a sawmill. He was always smiling, quiet, and friendly. He and his wife loved church carry-in dinners. And when his son-in-law deserted his family, Merlin took his daughter and granddaughter into his own home.

​In Paul’s verse from Romans, he warns us not to be conformed. The word in Greek implies seeing a certain model and choosing to align yourself to copy it.

​But when we walk by faith and not by sight, we choose to be transformed into what God wants, instead of what the world looks like. “Transformed” comes from “metamorphosis”, inferring a life-changing power that cannot be overcome. When you choose to be born again, you choose to be like Christ, and the very gates of hell cannot take you in to ruin that. Now Merlin’s light continues to shine.

Davy L. Troxel