It happened to me, and it has likely happened to many of you, too.
If you’ve driven the same car for an extended period of time, your headlight lenses have likely become cloudy and yellowed. They are made from poly-carbonate plastic instead of glass, so they are lighter and less likely to shatter. However, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light rays from the sun can cause oxidation.
As a result, the protective coatings applied to the lenses break down, leading to a loss of transparency. As the coating deteriorates, the lens surface becomes rough and discolored, resulting in reduced light output. They suffer due to oxidation from UV exposure, which degrades the protective coating and yellows the plastic. Dirt, grime, and moisture infiltration from damaged seals also contribute to the haze.
Do-it-yourself kits are available, as well as professional restoration services, that can help remove the fog. However, taking my mechanic’s advice, I bought brand-new complete headlight assemblies online that were relatively inexpensive. In addition, they were fairly easy to install, thanks of course to a well-done YouTube video!
“Let there be light!”
I was delighted with my success. I wanted my friends to “see the light” and realize how bright and clear the beams were that were coming from my headlights. Hey, I was “letting my light so shine,” and I was sure that I was ready for night-time driving.
Mt 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
I was doing great. Or so I thought.
As I began driving at night, I noticed something that surprised me. The drivers coming toward me, many of them in fact, began flashing their bright lights at me. Why? Well, they weren’t just sending me a friendly "hello," that’s for sure! Could they have been jealous of my shiny new lenses? NOT!
The fact is, they were blinded by one of my lights. My effort to produce a brighter, clearer light actually prevented others from seeing the road they needed. You might say my “shining” light was an “in-your-face” offense that produced a strong resistant reaction. From their standpoint, it would have been better if I had never replaced my old foggy, cloudy headlights. In addition, I couldn't see what I needed to see, either, because one of my "cross-eyed" lights was pointing up toward the sky instead of straight out toward the road.
There were no printed instructions for my new headlight assemblies included in the box. There was nothing – except for those other drivers! – to indicate that they had to be aimed. So I took a closer look, and then I saw it. Each assembly had a small gear with teeth that could be turned with a Phillips-head screwdriver.
I went back to the all-knowing YouTube channel, and I learned how to adjust the lights. There’s a tiny round dot on each lens, and you measure the distance from that mark to the ground. Park the car 25 feet in front of your garage door, and put blue tape at the same height from the ground that you measured previously. Then adjust the lights until they hit that blue tape.
Here's the application. On the one hand, we need to let our light for Christ shine in all directions, like a lighthouse, so that all can see our deeds and glorify the Father. If our light is diminished and limited by our weaknesses or sins, we must restore its shine.
At the same time, there are times at which we must specifically align and point our light. First of all, a focused light helps us see clearly the road ahead, so we can get to where God wants us to be. Second, a focused light will reach others effectively without blinding them and repulsing them. And third, we can aim the light toward those who are most likely to be receptive.
The apostle Paul talked about both ideas. Regarding our shining light, he wrote by inspiration, “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Co 4:6).’”
Yet Paul also recognized the importance of aiming the light. When the Jewish crowd in Antioch of Syria would not receive the light, Paul and Barnabas realized that they should focus the gospel light on the Gentiles, who would welcome it. They spoke out boldly and told those Jews, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. “For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth (Ac 13:46-47).’”
So, shine your light, for all the world to see. But also aim it, whenever possible, to guide your own steps and to reach those who want to flee the darkness and be saved!
