So, lately I've been obsessed with sun rays. And, I kid you not, a week doesn't go by without me seeing them poking through the clouds. Against a dark cloud, they are distinct and I almost expect a bunch of angels to appear every time. It's an amazing sight, really, to behold. But, as I'm coming to realize, those rays don't only show off their beauty; they also like to directly relate to my life.
When I was, like, eight, I announced to my mom that I didn't believe the sun had rays because I'd never seen them before. I only drew them in pictures (you know, those lines coming out of the colored-in circle made by a yellow Crayola marker) but had never seen sun rays before in my life. So, because I was so well-learned at the ripe old age of eight, I concluded that I had enough experience to proclaim that such rays did not exist. Right after this conclusion, I jumped into my cousin's pool with my nifty goggles on and saw sun rays coming through the water. I almost choked and surfaced for air. I don't remember if I told my mom about how my conclusion was proved wrong so quickly, but I do remember be surprised.
For some reason, that memory has stuck with me. Maybe because I've been keenly aware of those beams of light lately. Maybe because it provides a good anecdote for blog entries like this one. Maybe it's just God's way of introducing a new concept into my life...even though it took me about 11 years to realize it.
Being "salt and light" is a cliche Christian phrase. Salt keeps things flavored and preserved, so, as Christians, we're supposed to preserve the word and also flavor life and other's lives with our knowledge of Jesus Christ. And light...well, that's obvious. The world is dark. Not so much physically, as in we carry around flashlights everywhere or else we couldn't see, but as far as current morals and ethics go...we're hurtin'. Big time.
But let's say, for argument's sake, the world is totally dark. Like someone turned off all the lights in a window-less room and no one has any form of light to maneuver around safely. So we're all just blindly running amuck with no real direction because we have no light to help or guide us. As a follower of Christ, I'm supposed to be a flashlight in the darkness.
I mean, I'm only supposed to try to lead people to Christ. No pressure or anything. Just kidding...kind of. Of course, that is in my job description. But another necessary part of the Christ-follower deal is that I have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. A blue light doesn't pretend to be a red light the same way I shouldn't proclaim Christ if I don't actively follow him. Being a light is a beacon of hope. If I can resist cheating at school or dressing inappropriately or watching my language, that is such a testament to what I put my faith in. People notice when I don't do those things, just like people notice when there's a light in a dark room.
Being a sun ray bursting through a cloud is a too-beautiful comparison for myself. It's too...heavenly. And I am far from that. Yeah, sometimes I do hide my light under a cup, or at least put a lampshade over it so it isn't quite so bright. But I'm working on not doing that so much anymore. I want to shine. I want to be able to push dark aside. I want to be bright.
The good news? I'm not alone. There's an even brighter light coming. And the world will stay dark until this light comes. I tell you the truth, Jesus Christ is going to come back. And even those who hide from my light now won't be able to escape the blinding brightness of Christ. So put your sunglasses on, because things are about to get a whole new light shed on them.
"Shine your light and let the whole world see, I'm singin' for the glory of the risen King." --Mighty to Save (Hillsong)
"Shine, they wonder watcha got..." --Shine (Newsboys)
"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..." --This Little Light of Mine (Author unknown)
"I wanna be in the light, as You are in the light. I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens. Oh Lord be my light and be my salvation, 'cause all I want is to be in the light." --In the Light (DC Talk)
"For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of Light." Ephesians 5:8
No comments:
Post a Comment