A lamp normally shines and some could shine really bright. However, no matter how bright a lamp is made to shine, its brilliance is determined by where it stands -- its lampstand. A dull lamp on a high enough lampstand will sure serve better and shine brighter than a very bright lamp but under a bed or a bushel.

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The same applies to our lives: you may be very gifted and endowed but may not go farther in life than an average or even a below par person. The reason may not be far-fetched, we may not be on any lampstand, or we may be under a bushel and that robs us of all the brilliance we give off because no one uses it for anything. Those people may have positioned themselves on a very good lampstand and are giving off their dull light that is useful. Another angle to this is those who are endowed but shield themselves and conceal themselves so that no one benefits from them. They are like lamps under a bushel -- good for nothing.

From what has gone before, we see that it is not sufficient to be brilliant, but it is more important to position ourselves properly on a solid lampstand from which we can give off our light for the good of others.

Peace be with you!