Let’s talk about the ten bridesmaids. Five were wise, and five were foolish. Five brought extra oil, and five apparently thought they could get through the evening on whatever was left in the tank.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have a little sympathy for the foolish ones. Who hasn’t left the house with a phone battery at 12 percent, hoping for the best? Who hasn’t started a road trip without checking the gas gauge? Who hasn’t walked into Target for one thing and come out with seventeen?

We’ve all had our moments of being unprepared.

And for centuries, this story has often been preached as a warning: Be prepared! Keep your spiritual lamps full! Don’t run out of faith! Make sure you are ready when Jesus comes, because you don’t want to be caught on the wrong side of the door.

And while there is certainly something to be said about being ready, I wonder if we’ve missed another possibility in this story. What if this isn’t primarily a story about running out of oil? What if it’s a story about what happens when we forget that we are carrying light?

Think about it. All ten bridesmaids were invited to the wedding. All ten had lamps. All ten were waiting for the bridegroom. All ten fell asleep. Even the wise ones! Apparently, Jesus isn’t particularly impressed with our ability to stay awake during a long church service.

The difference wasn’t that five were better people, had more faith, or loved the bridegroom more. The difference was that five had something extra to share when the moment came. And here’s what I find interesting: the oil wasn’t something they could simply hand over. Each had to bring her own. Faith isn’t something we can borrow from the person sitting next to us. But that doesn’t mean faith is meant to be kept to ourselves.

Perhaps the oil is less about having enough religion tucked away for ourselves and more about tending to the things that keep the light of Christ burning in us.

Prayer. Worship. Community. Scripture. Laughter. Generosity. The people who remind us who we are when we forget. The moments when we recognize God’s presence in the ordinary, unexpected places of life. These are the things that keep our lamps burning.

But here’s where I want to take this story in a different direction. The point isn’t simply to keep our own lamps lit. The point is to carry that light into the world.

Because there are people all around us who are waiting in the dark. People who need encouragement, people who are lonely, people who are grieving, people who wonder if anyone sees them. And sometimes the light of Christ shows up in the simplest ways: a cup of coffee, a handwritten note, a listening ear, an invitation, a little kindness when someone least expects it.

We don’t have to be the source of the light. That’s God’s job. We simply get to reflect it.

And maybe that’s the invitation in this parable. Don’t just worry about whether you have enough oil. Pay attention to the light you are carrying. Look for the light of Christ in others, and let others see that light in you.

Because the world doesn’t need more people standing around worrying about whether their lamps are full. The world needs people willing to carry the light. And that brings me to something fun we’re going to do today.

Today, we have ten new bridesmaids in this congregation!

Somewhere in this room are ten people who have a sticker on the front of their bulletin. So take a look at your bulletin. Check the front. Do you have a sticker? If you do, congratulations! You’ve just been recruited into the bridesmaid brigade!

I’m going to invite all ten of you to come forward.

(Invite the ten people forward.)

Now, every good bridesmaid deserves a little something to help them on their journey. So we’re giving each of you a $10 gift card to a local coffee shop. Because sometimes the best way to share the light of Christ begins with a little caffeine!

But this isn’t just a gift card. It’s a commissioning.

You are being sent to seek the light of Christ in others. To notice it, celebrate it, and help others see it, too. Your assignment is to share God’s love, one conversation, one kindness, one cup of coffee, one ordinary moment at a time.

You don’t have to create the light. You don’t have to fix everyone. You don’t even have to have all the answers.

Just keep your eyes open. Look for the light. And when you see it, point it out.

Because every person has a story, every face has a story, and every one of us has the opportunity to reflect the light of Christ.

So go, you ten new bridesmaids. Keep your lamps burning. And help the rest of us see the light!

Amen.

Artwork by Jordan Kammer Mesenbourg