Do You Have the Light?

Our church is beside a high school. Since I ride my bicycle to work almost every day I have the opportunity to look into the eyes of the parents and students who are coming to the school. I see the sleepiness in their eyes. I realize they have stayed up too late to have a cheery attitude toward morning. They are going to that school and heaven help anything or anyone who gets in their way.

But I see something else in many of them. Some are students who walk to school. I get to look into their eyes even more clearly. There is nothing there. There is no joy, no sense of purpose, no sense of hope- nothing! 

The Apostle John said that in Jesus is life and that life is the light of men. I believe that people living without Jesus do not have the light that they need to see what is true. They feel as if they are locked in a totally dark room and cannot find the door. They have decided the best thing to do is to live in the dark. They have talked with those around them and decided they must make the best of things in the dark room. They have told others that there is no light. There is no hope and there is no purpose other than existing in the dark room.

Even the rumors of light have been dispelled. Some have come telling of a light that would show them all that they need to have hope and purpose. Many say that the light doesn't exist or if it does it will really hurt your eyes so you should not follow these who claim to lead you to the light.

There are many in the room who say they have seen the light but really haven't. They tell the stories they have heard from those who have the light. They claim to have followed the light but they really have never seen the light. Their own stumbling around in the dark convinces many people that there is no light. 

Amazingly, some of those who have the light go in the dark room and stay. They, too, start believing the light doesn't exist. They lose their own hope and purpose. Their own memories betray them. They give excuses for when they saw the light. They claim it is an emotional light rather than a true light. They purposely keep their eyes closed so they can no longer see the light.

There are those who enter the room who have the light but get caught up with those that are blind. They know there is a light. They really would like to walk in the light again but they are afraid of leaving the room. They, too, are afraid that coming back into the light will hurt their eyes. They may be right. But the pain won't last long and they will be able to see again.

We either walk in the light or walk in the darkness. All of us who have the light are called to walk into that dark room and bring out as many as we can. We are not to stay in that room. It should not keep a hold on us.

Many times we see the world as evil. Surely, there is evil in the world but most people are not trying to do you in. They are simply blind for they have not seen the light of Jesus. Their lives are filled with hopelessness for they believe in nothing more than they can see. Blindness keeps them from seeing very much.

Yet, there are Christians who also walk in the darkness. They have accepted something sinful and realized it really does cause pleasure. They like it so much that they are afraid to open their eyes and see the light of Jesus. They know that opening their eyes will reveal what this sin really is. That would be painful. So, they talk about Jesus with their eyes closed. 

I know Christians very far away from the Lord. I wish they would realize what they are doing. I know they won't until they open their eyes and the light of Jesus fills them once again.

Could you be one of those? I am not on your case. I don't want you to feel bad. I just want people to walk in the light of Jesus. 

I know many people who are walking in the light of Jesus. You can see it in their eyes.