Posts
____________________________
The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5)
All of us have experienced being
in a totally dark room. After some time,
usually after 20 minutes or so, our eyes become accustomed to the darkness enough
so that we can distinguish shades of grey, and we can identify the shapes of
bulky objects. But no matter how long we
remain in the darkness, we can never gain the confidence to walk without
scooting our feet and extending our arms in all directions to feel our way
around. Suddenly, someone enters the
dark room and flips on the light switch.
The light offends and repels us.
We hide our faces from the effulgent intruder, but as we submit to its
luminous warmth, our confidence is restored, and we no longer have to grope the
air to find our way. We see all things
clearly and in brilliant color.
Jesus said, “I am the light of
the world” (John 8:12), “And the light shineth in the darkness; and the
darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:5).
The world is in darkness, and it hates the light. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the
light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John3:20). The light causes intense pain. It exposes sin for what it is, and the world
does not want to see sin for what it is.
It should not catch us by
surprise when the world hates the light and then projects its hatred of the
light onto us. “If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye
are not of the world … therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19). “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light
that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John3:21). For those who are acquainted with
the light, Jesus said, “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
