This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
This is why we surround ourselves with believers and items that remind us of our calling in Christianity. Sometimes it is a plaque on the wall, sometimes such trinkets are meaningless. Sometimes it is Christian music, sometimes such music is boring. Sometimes it is fellow believers, sometimes such people can make us feel inadequate. Even so, we must dwell together. Otherwise, we do not have the opportunity to be challenged and equipped. We do not always agree on everything, we do not always see eye to eye. But as long as we are all striving for the same goal – becoming of one mind/purpose in Christ and toward the proclamation of the gospel – as long as we are standing firm together as one body of Christ, we sharpen one another, we better one another, we practice the truth. And the truth will set us free.
The light exposes what was hidden in darkness. In the light, I see that I am not as smart as I like to think I am, nor as holy, nor as righteous. In the light, I realize that I am not as rich, nor as poor as I imagine myself to be. In the light, I am not an extremely gifted lover and sophisticated gentleman, but a middle class white guy who is about 20 pounds overweight, drives low-cost cars, and just got his first recliner (La-z-boy), and likes his X-box. I don’t do what I should, I don’t think what is pure, I don’t speak like I ought. There are only two ways to handle this.
The most common way to deal with light is to retreat into the darkness. “It’s not true! It’s all lies! You can’t tell me what to do!” Burying themselves deep inside themselves, wrapping a themselves in protective layers of ego, and common sense, and self-righteousness – many people hide themselves from the light that will expose their true state and lay bare all their fantasies.
The better way is to see what you really are. To see all your shortcomings. To despair that you, even you, will never reach Heaven, never accomplish all your goals, never live up to the ideal, never attain anything you have been taught to want. Secular or “Christian,” all have fallen short of the glory of God. There is none good enough. Except one. When we realize our depraved state, we can retreat back into ourselves or reach out for the loving hand of Jesus. He can make us righteous. He can make us whole. We were created to dwell in peace with him. With all our faults and foibles exposed, we may be open for the comfort that comes from being forgiven. Forgiveness is good. Forgiveness is best.
Reframe your world today. Walk in the light. Dwell with other believers. Share a message of truth and hope. Practice the truth.