Light Up the Room!

 

                                                                                                    

Image generated by ChatGPT

I had a dream in which my husband and I had moved to another town because of a potential job opportunity I thought might be open there, but it fell through. As we were walking down the street considering our options, we spotted a small art museum housed in a historic home and decided to visit.

A caretaker greeted us at the door and showed us into the main gallery. It was lit only by a single skylight, with sunbeams filtering down from the sky and illuminating the dust particles in its path. A patch of light in the center of the floor under the skylight was warm and inviting, in contrast to the shadows obscuring the artwork on the walls.

We stepped closer to the paintings, including some Old Masters and some by artists unfamiliar to us, and were amazed by their extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. Yet the room illumination was so low that we practically had to be on top of the paintings to appreciate them, and even then we felt we were missing out on what could be an even more memorable experience.

We asked the caretaker if it would be possible to turn on the lights, and he explained that artificial lighting could damage the masterpieces. To our surprise, he knew that I was looking for a job, and offered me a position as a gallery guide, to answer questions and highlight various features of each artwork for visiting guests.

It sounded like an interesting opportunity. Unexpectedly, I heard myself asking, “What is the dress code?”

“Flower,” he replied.

When I asked him what he meant, he explained that because no artificial light sources were permitted in the gallery, the guides had to be brightly dressed in vibrant colors or floral patterns. They would stand in the center of the floor under the skylight so that the guests could easily spot them, and so that they would still be clearly visible as they walked to each painting.

As I awoke and considered the symbolism of the dream, I was reminded of a devotional by Paul Tripp we had read the previous day, He mentioned the beautiful spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-4) we receive once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

Although we receive these gifts at the moment of salvation, they are not always visible to others because we quench or grieve the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30), hindering His light from shining in our hearts. Tripp likened this to a gallery of paintings once the switch is flipped off – they are still there, but invisible.

My dream seemed to extend the metaphor. I was looking for a new job, which in my stage of life would refer to a ministry opportunity rather than to a paid position. Yet, as I discovered recently when the Lord called my husband and me to open a new church, we must be receptive to His lead for such an opportunity, even if it takes us by surprise (Proverbs 3:5-6). We must follow His call and not be stuck in our own preconceived ideas or reluctant to let go of a ministry that has already run its course.

In the dream we had moved to a new city and I was offered an unexpected position, representing the new phase of ministry God has called us to in opening a new church. The gallery within a house may symbolize the gifts of the Spirit God has planted in our heart.

For these gifts to reach others, they must be illuminated by His perfect light, not by the artificial, harsh, tawdry light coming from the world. (Imagine the piercing lights of an interrogation room, or the dizzying neon signs clamoring for attention on Times Square, as a contrast to the gentle golden rays of sunrise over the ocean).

Once we soak in His perfect light, as represented by standing under the skylight in the gallery, we can then let His light shine through us so we can guide others (John 1:9; Matthew 5:14). We may then help them discover the gifts of the Spirit God longs to place or has already placed in their hearts, so that they too can illuminate the path for others.

In the dream, we had to go very close to the paintings to catch even a glimpse of their true beauty. When people are in darkness, we need to bring His light to where they are rather than demand that they seek us out. We can’t just sit back in the safety and comfort of our sanctuary! We must seek out lost souls in their own environment before we can see their true potential, once they are saved, as ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), each with a unique purpose God planned for them since before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10).

The unusual dress code required for guides in the dream I believe represents the righteousness of Christ with which we are clothed once we are saved (Romans 3:22). The saint’s robe of righteousness is white (Revelation 19:8), for purity, but white light can be diffracted into all colors of the spectrum. At the moment of salvation, the believer is clothed in a robe of righteousness compared to a bride adorned with jewels (Isaiah 61:10), which suggests gems of brilliant hues.

The bright, colorful clothing required of guides in the dream may represent each believer’s uniqueness, and yet our incorporation into the body of Christ (Romans 12:5), which is His bride, the church (Revelation 21:2). As a flower uses light from the sun to grow and produce a vibrantly hued blossom, every believer uses His light to bloom into their full potential.

Just as Moses’ countenance glowed when he had been in God’s presence (Exodus 34:29-30,35), we should wear His imprint on our faces. His Spirit shining through us attracts others to us, even though they may not know exactly why. His mark on us should be as easily seen as a brightly colored dress.

In the dream there were some Old Master paintings I recognized from having seen photos of them in art books, and others that were equally beautiful yet unknown to me. In Heaven I believe we will instantly recognize saints well known to us from Scripture, such as the apostle Paul, even though we have never seen a picture or read a description of his appearance. At the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, Peter knew that he was in the presence of Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-5), even though they died millennia before Peter was even born.

Yet I believe another joy in Heaven will be to meet believers we have never heard of before, even though we may have planted or watered the seed that ultimately led to the fruit of their salvation. For example, someone may have been saved through the witness of a missionary we helped support, and in glory we will fully appreciate the beauty of their transformed life.

While awaiting the Rapture and these precious encounters, may we bask in His true light so that we can be His lights in the world, illuminating the path for others!    

Copyright 2026 Laurie Collett