Matthew 5:15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. AMP

Let us focus for a second that the lamp has been lite. We have come to Christ and we have been filled with the light of His glory, not our own. If the lamp is placed under a basket it is an intentional act. It is done for a selfish reason. An open basket facing upward is a sharing opportunity. A downward basket is a hiding position, things which are not shared. That is obvious. So what isn’t so obvious?

If the light is in you and you place the basket over yourself, then the light only shines upon you. The light does not reach others. Let us say for arguments sake that the reason you did it is to bask in the glow of the warmth and life in Christ. You feel you need it. Perhaps you do need it. Perhaps you see this gift from God as a Christmas present and you want to play with it before sharing it with your friends and risk having it broken or stolen.

Silly as that sounds it isn’t unreasonable to see that some who are not yet mature in their faith might do just that. Now let us lift the basket to a level of maturity that comes from the light working in you to bring you to an understanding of who Christ is and what He wishes to do with you. Now you get to “see” what that light illuminates outside yourself. What do you see now?

All the time you have spent basking in the glow people just outside the basket, those closest to you have been wounded and in pain and need you. Life didn’t stop happening just because you went on a spiritual vacation.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

You are needed.

2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

These are the last words of Elisha to Elijah before Elisha took up Elijah’s mantle. I often think about these parting words of Elisha, in particular the thought comes to me, “Be careful what you ask for.”

You can be close and intimate with a man’s service to the Lord. You might even have the privilege to fill in for him on occasion. Being an apprentice is nothing like being the master. You have no idea of the level of responsibility until you have taken on that responsibility.

Elisha sought the one thing he knew he would need to pick up Elijah’s mantle, more spirit than he had. Was it possible to have more spirit? The thoughts in the times of these great prophets was of a rest upon spirit. It was not until Christ was resurrected that the Holy Spirit became an abiding Spirit. It is not possible to have a double portion of the Holy Spirit. Any portion of God is wholly God.

The mantle is what we take up, not the spirit. The Hebrew meaning, while specific to a prophets garment, literally means “a wide branching vine”. The inference is influence. Specific to that end, supplying to or giving sustenance to a large number of branches. That is where the idea of taking on responsibility comes from.

We will all retire to the Lord’s rest someday. We should see to our replacements and train up Godly men to take up our mantle with the attitude of Elisha. I need the Lord’s help to do this thing.

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.