“Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark.” ~ Unknown
If you attended Sunday school as a child or were raised in a religious family, then you know the classic gospel song “This Little Light of Mine.” The song is still a favorite in mainline denominations and sung on many Sundays at a church near you. “This Little Light of Mine” is considered an African American spiritual, even though a white man wrote it.
The gospel song “This Little Light of Mine” became the anthem of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ’60s. It was mistakenly thought to have been sung on plantations during slavery—this classic written by Harry Dixon Loes around 1920 as a children’s song. During the Civil Rights Movement, Zilphia Horton adapted the song and taught it to Pete Seeger. Civil Rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer is famous for this piece of music. While being detained by police on her way back from attempting to register to vote with other members of her community, she began singing this song.¹
Those who enjoy the light of God dwelling inside them, owe it to those still lost in the dark to shine their light so that others may find their way home to God.
Jesus teaches those who have ears to hear this crucial lesson in the Gospel of Matthew:
14 You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16 – CEB).
The lyrics to “This Little Light of Mine” are straightforward and repetitive. This classic song lends itself nicely to the folk tradition, making it an easy piece to remember and sing along with for everyone.
Only one line in each verse changes. The verses begin with one of the following phrases, which are followed by “I’m gonna let it shine”; these two lines repeat a total of three times. Each verse finishes with “I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”
- This little light of mine
- Everywhere I go
- All in my house
- Out in the dark
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