A Beacon
Today, I was in a town at a busy intersection, and I got turned around. I couldn’t find any arrows, and I couldn’t discern which of the five possible directions I was supposed to take to get back on the path. I pulled out the map on my phone, but the internet was slow and unhelpful. Then I got an idea…
As you walk the Camino toward Santiago, you begin to notice that in every village, small town, or city, the path consistently leads you directly in front of churches—of all shapes and sizes. The Camino was originally a spiritual pilgrimage, and churches were a central part of the journey.
Of course, churches were places where pilgrims could stop to pray, worship, or seek God. But there was another reason why churches were so integral to the pilgrimage. They offered hope and resources to those passing through. At a church, a pilgrim might find shelter or be connected to someone in the community willing to host them. The church might provide food for the journey. In some cases, when people were sick or in need of medical care, it was the church that helped sustain them.
So, as I stood at that intersection, unsure of which direction to take, I lifted my head and looked around. Sure enough, about six or eight blocks away, I spotted a steeple rising into the sky. A church. I put my phone away and simply began walking toward that house of worship. About a block before I arrived, I spotted the yellow arrows—and just like that, I was back on the proper path.
It’s no secret that the Church is a flawed institution. In my lifetime, I’ve seen more than my share of scandals—greed, cover-ups, financial mismanagement, and abuses of power. And yet, there are still places of worship where humble, flawed people gather to worship the God they believe in. They offer community and belonging, opportunities to serve, and a renewed sense of purpose. They point people toward the love of God as they practice forgiveness, grace, mercy, and kindness—all while proclaiming the Good News.
Most importantly, the Church is not a building. In the original Greek, the word for church, ekklēsia, literally means “called-out ones” (ek = out, kaleō = to call). In ancient Greek, it referred to a gathering of citizens called out for a purpose. So, the Church is really about people—people who are part of a community set apart to serve, honor, and worship God.
If you’re reading this and consider yourself a believer in Jesus, I’d encourage you to take seriously the fact that you can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. You can follow your own selfish agenda—or you can represent Jesus. You can be the church! You can be a beacon of hope, light, and guidance to the people around you. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world!”
But perhaps you’re reading this and you’re at a crossroads—unsure of what to do. I would encourage you to call upon the Lord. Maybe visit a place of worship. Try to find a community that can offer you guidance and love. Or maybe there’s someone in your life who knows God and can walk alongside you to help you find the right path.
We all find ourselves at crossroads from time to time. And maybe the answer isn’t to follow the crowd, or to bury your head in your phone, hoping to figure it out alone.
Maybe the best thing you can do is lift your head and look for a beacon of hope—someone or something that points you in the direction your life needs to go.
