Deck Prism
An interesting analogy for bringing light to a darkened world.
“Faith is like a deck prism.” The pastor leaned down and reached below his pulpit and picked up a brown paper bag and pulled an odd triangular-shaped light green object from it.
Then, sensing the congregation’s unease, he said:
“This is not some new age wackadoodle product I’m holding up that’s going to transmit energy or anything like that but let me tell you about this object,” he said. “If any of you are familiar with the Charles W. Morgan, I believe [the ship] is permanently docked in Mystic, Connecticut—it’s a whaling ship and it went through an arduous renovation in which they extracted these objects from it, as well. If you’ve ever visited the ship, some of you may remember seeing these.”
He held it out the object in front of him, and up high so we could all see.
The object is called a Deck Prism, and it was used to reflect light, and reflecting light today was the topic of the pastor’s sermon.
We listened with bated ears… I mean, bated breath.
The Anatomy of a Deck Prism
Christians are called to be the light—the light that reflects Jesus. (Matt. 5:14)
The world is a dark place as well, full of spiritual darkness,” he said, and quoted from Isaiah.
Is. 60:2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you
Darkness implies sin and evil things that are opposed to and not of God.
Think of someone you can invite to church or at least share the reason for the hope you have in Jesus.
We all are looking for community
He then took deck prisms to a new level when he referred to a person we’ve all heard of, that can be referred to as one of the most important deck prisms.
A British man captured by Irish pirates as a slave, Patrick was only 10 or 12 years old. He was put on a farm and enslaved, to look after pigs and other animals.
Eventually was able to escape and go back to England.
Some people witnessed to him in slavery, and he took in interest in Christianity.
He went to theology school and one night had a dream and heard Jesus saying, “I want you to go back to Ireland and tell people about me.”
Ireland at that time was very dark, and pagan, with very little Christianity.
He went back and became a “deck prism.” Patrick traveled back to Ireland and told them about Jesus. He is known as the founder of Christianity in Ireland!
“Saint Patrick.”
“So, church I encourage you all to go back into the dark world that once enslaved you and share the light of Christ with others. Go out into the world and be a deck prism.”
You brought spiritual life. That has penetrated the darkness and brought people into your kingdom of light
For those wandering, for those who are lost, for those who can’t see their way
Edith Warton’s quote be the candle or be the mirror that reflects it.
So, I will say be the prism. which would you rather be? The prism… or the light that reflects the prism?
Either way, light is the only thing that make the prism work. So, you need light to get the prism to work. I need Jesus (Jn. 14:6) to create light in me, so that I can become the prism (the vessel) or the prism that reflects the light to others.
The pastor also reminded the congregation that that’s what deck prisms do as deck prisms do, we also can shine down into dark and dank (and sometime funky smelling) places (below deck of any ship) and shine the hope, light and love of Jesus that brings life.
Questions for reflection:
Have you ever heard of a deck prism?
Have you thought about how to be the light that reflects Jesus’s light to others, like a deck prism?
Did you know the story about Ireland’s St. Patrick, or was that new to you?