DE PONDERINGS
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.
I John 1:5 (NRSV)
The “Thought for the Day” from The Upper Room on July 12, 2007, written by a New Zealand Anglican minister John Franklin, says: “The light of Christ transforms the way we see the world.” I read this statement and was closing the devotional booklet to put it away when these words struck with force. “Yes, exactly,” I thought. What if we truly viewed the world through the light of Christ? Would it make a difference in the way we see things?
How would we see people in other countries if we saw them in the light of Christ? How would we view terrorists if we saw them in the light of Christ? How would we view persons who vehemently disagree with us if we saw them in the light of Christ? How would we see persons in our own communities who have a different appearance, who speak and dress differently, who act differently if we saw them in the light of Christ?
As confident as I am that I see others in the light of Christ, I must be very honest and admit that too frequently I see others through the darkness of secular media, through the darkness of government bureaucracy, through the darkness of opinions of others, through the darkness of religious stone throwing. Such darkness keeps me blind to the goodness in others that is miraculously revealed by the light of Christ.
Reflect for a moment on the story in John 4 where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. The story implies that many saw this woman through the darkness of religious stone throwing and cultural division. But THE LIGHT, Jesus, shines upon the darkness and reveals a woman of spirituality ready to be served by Christ and to serve because of Christ.
I truly believe the world would be a different place if we would see all people in the light of Christ. We would, as Jesus does, see people of spirituality who are ready to be enlightened by Christ and anxious to share their good fortune because they have been delivered from darkness.
Thankfully, the church has been showered with the light of Christ. Therefore, it is brought out of darkness for the purpose to share with others the light it has received. We are the church. When we share what we have received, we will no longer be able to see people in darkness. We bring the light of Christ into their midst. Darkness cannot prevail in the light.
Share your light. You’ll be amazed at how much better the world around you will look.
In the Light of Christ,
I John 1:5 (NRSV)
The “Thought for the Day” from The Upper Room on July 12, 2007, written by a New Zealand Anglican minister John Franklin, says: “The light of Christ transforms the way we see the world.” I read this statement and was closing the devotional booklet to put it away when these words struck with force. “Yes, exactly,” I thought. What if we truly viewed the world through the light of Christ? Would it make a difference in the way we see things?
How would we see people in other countries if we saw them in the light of Christ? How would we view terrorists if we saw them in the light of Christ? How would we view persons who vehemently disagree with us if we saw them in the light of Christ? How would we see persons in our own communities who have a different appearance, who speak and dress differently, who act differently if we saw them in the light of Christ?
As confident as I am that I see others in the light of Christ, I must be very honest and admit that too frequently I see others through the darkness of secular media, through the darkness of government bureaucracy, through the darkness of opinions of others, through the darkness of religious stone throwing. Such darkness keeps me blind to the goodness in others that is miraculously revealed by the light of Christ.
Reflect for a moment on the story in John 4 where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. The story implies that many saw this woman through the darkness of religious stone throwing and cultural division. But THE LIGHT, Jesus, shines upon the darkness and reveals a woman of spirituality ready to be served by Christ and to serve because of Christ.
I truly believe the world would be a different place if we would see all people in the light of Christ. We would, as Jesus does, see people of spirituality who are ready to be enlightened by Christ and anxious to share their good fortune because they have been delivered from darkness.
Thankfully, the church has been showered with the light of Christ. Therefore, it is brought out of darkness for the purpose to share with others the light it has received. We are the church. When we share what we have received, we will no longer be able to see people in darkness. We bring the light of Christ into their midst. Darkness cannot prevail in the light.
Share your light. You’ll be amazed at how much better the world around you will look.
In the Light of Christ,
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