Light and Dark

What is it about light that fascinates us? If someone shines a flashlight on a wall, someone's hand will immediately form a bird or dog shadow. When someone goes on a astage, a spotlight shines down to announce their presence. When you see a sunrise, even in the gloomiest of settings, somehow your heart lifts into the sky along with the sun. We just feel that, as long as the sun still rises, we still have some hope in this world. Not everything can be dampened by the cares of this world.

As Christians, we see Christ as the "Light of the World". On top of that, we are told to "walk in the Light, as He is in the Light.". Does that mean that all trouble will disappear? No more dark clouds, or pain, or heartache? No, but it does mean that we have something stronger than what the world throws out. Light is stronger than darkness. You walk outside at night, flashlight in hand, and the darkness will move aside for as far as that light will reach. Darkness cannot overcome it. For us in Christ, we walk in His Light, and even with the pain and despair all around, we are safe.

It strikes me as odd, now that I'm on the other side, the people that prefer darkness to Light. It's as if since pain and sorrow are all they've known, they are afraid of what the Light might show them. So many of us are like that, we'd rather go with something familiar, even if painful or sad, rather than take a step out into the unknown. Still others are afraid of what the Light might reveal of them, and they don't want their own darkness revealed. Well, the sins and wounds in our hearts will be revealed, but that is so they can be destroyed. The Light can overcome any darkness, especially that darkness inside of us, no matter what. Let me say that again...NO MATTER WHAT.

I think there are three choices available to us. We can stay in total darkness, and embrace the pain and sadness as our friend. We can shine a flashlight on the wall, but then the joys that we experience are still just shadow images on the wall. Or we take a deep breath, open the door, step outside and look to the sky, and rise with the Son. What do you choose?