See to it, then, that the light inside you is not darkness. Luke 11:35
Several things have happened in the last few weeks that have prompted me to think carefully about the verse above. If you look at the history of Christians, you can see that there have been times when really wrong things have been done, even though the original reason for those actions was very right. I am a passionate person, and I rarely if ever do something half-way. I truly believe (because the Bible tells us this) that people who have not given their lives to Jesus are going to hell. Therefore, it is easy for me to become passionate with and about people and their choices. From my point of view I am loving them. I am spreading Truth. To others, though. I am NOT. If you look at the world today, Christians often get a bad reputation because the light inside of them is glaring and ‘offensive’ to others. Like many others, my passion and earnest caring is construed badly and I am coming to understand that what I am spreading is darkness not His Light. Don’t get me wrong. Truth is truth, and that isn’t changing. Hell is real and just because someone is a ‘nice person’ doesn’t get them eternity.
WOW.
This is hard for me to get a grip on.
It’s interesting how God is molding me and teaching me right now how my actions and words can unite to actually show His light. My mother used to say, “What is right, is right – no matter how badly it hurts.” I know this is true. Sometimes it hurts to choose to do what is right. Sometimes it hurts to be made accountable for something I’ve done. I never want to shirk from right because it hurts. I never want to choose wrong because it is hard to do right. I always want to be courageous in my faith. Yet. I also never want to have anyone consider me vitriolic or full of hate because I stand up for what is right. I don’t want the perception to be that I am spreading darkness instead of light. I don’t have a wise ending for today’s blog. I don’t know the key to this. I am simply going to be more aware of how what is inside me leaks out to the world. I am going to try to watch the faces and eyes of those around me with the hope that my light is shining.
