As a kid, I didn’t like the dark. At night, when I was in bed and wanted to get up, I couldn’t move. Why? Because a monster lived under my bed, and he was going to bite my foot off. When I turned on the light, the monster hid. I had the same problem with our cellar. I had to open the door to the cellar’s pitch blackness and very quickly turn on the lights because I knew the monster was going to grab me unless I was very quick.
Darkness can be scary, and the mind often races with worst-case scenarios.
Darkness, as a metaphor, can also symbolize fear.
To counteract this darkness, we are constantly asking, “Where can I find some light, the metaphorical kind?”
Scripture references darkness and light over a hundred times. In the Old Testament, Genesis 1:4 says, “God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.” I like that idea. But how do I separate darkness and light? Let me jump to the Gospel of John 8:12, where Jesus is reputed to have said, “I am the light of the world.” John 1:5 suggests that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Excuse the pun: A bright light is shining in my head. I’m starting to understand—Jesus has a lot to do with it. He talks a great deal about agape, unconditional love for all humanity. Agape is light!
We see in John 11:10: “If anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” That says a lot. For the past fourteen months, I have kept thinking that darkness is all I see, even though I am surrounded by light.
I live in one of the nicer cities in our country; it has a world-class university and excellent medical facilities, especially for the elderly. Anne and I enjoy the symphony, the theater, and the ability to walk safely each day in beautiful parks, surrounded by Creation at its best. This is light!
We have a community-oriented police force that provides us with a strong sense of security and refuses to cooperate with ICE. When we call 911, the fire department arrives at our door within seven minutes. Our public school system is excellent, and there are six colleges and universities in our city. Interesting! The light I need is right in front of me, but I keep allowing darkness to take it over. My bad!
1 John 2:9 hits me hard: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.” I need to stop vilifying this administration. I must recognize that it is made up of unhealthy people caught up in a cult, and they don’t even realize it. I should feel sorry for them, but at the same time, I need to stay involved with the large groups of demonstrators and protesters that are dedicating much of their lives, in nonviolent ways, to letting their light dispel this administration’s darkness.
I attended an online seminar hosted by Women’s March, organized by a diverse group of young women who develop programs and create opportunities for everyone to participate in so their light can overcome the darkness.
There, I saw a young congresswoman introduce a bill calling for the complete dismantling of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, whose darkness has terrified our country and destroyed our democracy. I believe these agencies have caused so much harm that they cannot be fixed. They must be shut down and replaced by agencies that uphold the Constitution. This is the only peaceful way to eliminate their darkness, with light.
The bottom line is that each of us faces a choice only we can make. Do I want to live in darkness and negativity or in the light that surrounds us?
Jesus has shown me where the light is, and it’s in me! Now I have to put my money where my mouth is.
Are you willing to share your light?
PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness
Bil
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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.
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