— Howard W. Norton

Many believe that being a disciple of Christ requires a complete stoppage or interruption of their normal routine.  Sometimes being “the light of the world” does require a change of plans as was the case with the Good Samaritan, but it’s not always true.

Abramo Lucarelli, perhaps the most influential national leader of churches of Christ in Brazil, worked as a department manager in a zipper factory.  One day, his supervisor asked Abramo if he could recommend someone from his group as head of a new department.  Abramo observed the workers a day or two and found no one.

When Abramo reported, his boss said, “Do you mean to tell me there’s no one in your church you can recommend?”  Abramo said, “Oh, yes, there are people in the church I can recommend; but there’s no one in my department”.

His supervisor said, “When I mentioned your group, I was talking about your church.  I want to hire someone just like you.”

Abramo had been shining like “the light of the world” at the factory, but he hadn’t interrupted his normal routine to be “a city set on a hill.”