Light of the World
We came home later than usual. It was very dark in our garage. When our garage door opener is activated a single small light bulb also comes on. It gives very little light when it is extremely cold. We also have a wall switch that turns on two bright bulbs. It was off. In the gloom Barbara continued around the front of the van toward the kitchen door. Suddenly, I heard a crash and Barbara disappeared in the darkness. She had tripped and fallen. She hit her face on the kitchen steps. She hit her newly replaced knee on the floor and hit her arm on the steps and broke her arm. She was in pain and soon in the ER. Weeks later her arm is still in a cast.
She fell and hurt herself but it was not her fault. She was the victim. Why? Two reasons. One. I allowed some items to accumulate that should have been dealt with that she tripped over, causing her to stumble. Two. The traditional older bulb we depended on for guidance gave off less light due to the extreme cold.
Our garage was no darker than usual. The light was not as bright as it should have been. Maybe I need to get rid of traditional lighting and try a new bulb with no mercury. I had neglected to keep the pathway clean
When we as Followers of Jesus, complain about the darkness of our society and culture
A. Maybe we need to clean up the clutter we have allowed to accumulate in the path that causes others to stumble. Sometimes that happens in our churches when we lose our focus.
B. Make sure the light is bright and not dimmed by church culture, tradition or sin. Jesus said to his followers, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15 NLT Jesus did not say, “You should become light”. He said, “You ARE the light.”
Religious communities often put the blame on the one who falls–they sinned. That is another way of saying they fell.
Barbara fell. She was the victim. Maybe we, who “are the light of the world” need to drop some of our traditions and prejudices. Get out of our churches and take the light into the darkness and help those who are stumbling and falling rather than blaming them. Jesus also said, Matt 16:18 The Message “And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.”
We prefer our safe, well-lit churches to challenge Satan for his victims in the darkness near his kingdom’s gates. Maybe it’s our fault that they are in darkness.
We are the light! Called to the darkness.