Light in the Home

Last fall, I began a homemaking series called “Creativity in the Home.” We talked about how we’re created in the image of a Creator and how beautiful creativity should be reflected in our homes. We started the series with music in our homes, since music was one of the first things God created.

Genesis 1 says that on the first day of creation, God created light. Where darkness had reigned, now gorgeous light burst onto the scene.

“You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28)

However, the Bible tells us that our sinful world loves darkness more than light.

“Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

So I think that one of the marks of a Christian home should be a house that is filled with light! Light creates warmth in a home, can relax or can even invigorate. Be different from the world! Be intentional in your use of light.

Here are some ways to use light in your home decorating:

• Open the curtains in the morning. Especially for those of us who spend most of our time at home, use natural light to brighten moods. Why are your blinds closed? Are you hiding from the neighbors? Is your house cluttered or the atmosphere filled with unkind words, so you’re embarrassed to be seen or heard? (See Matthew 5:16.) When you wake up in the morning, open up the house! Let the beautiful light God created shine in. (More ideas for waking up here.)
• Choose paint colors that emphasize light. Color can help portray a feeling in each room, so yellow can brighten moods, green can calm, blue can relax, and red can energize. A can of paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to change your decorating, especially in a tough economy. (Helpful articles online here.)
• Use a variety of lamps to light your home at night. One light bulb hanging from the ceiling, or one overhead light glaring into the shadows, just doesn’t make a home feel cozy. Try place little lamps on tables or lighting lanterns. Light coming from various angles makes a home feel kinder, more loving. Use incandescent bulbs rather than onlyfluorescents. (Read more ideas here.)
• Smile more. Do you have God’s light on the inside? Let it show! Make a point of letting your eyes twinkle when you smile and of genuinely being warm to those in your family. The Bible says that “those who look to him are radiant” (Psalm 34:5). Is this true in your home?

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18).