Are You A Light In The Darkness
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
(Matthew 6:23)
We see so much through our eyes. Day after day we go through life witnessing so many things…the sun shining brightly, acts of kindness by others, love being shown from a parent to a child, the husband or wife we are speaking our marriage vows too, the child we are bringing forth into this world. We also see other things…the anger of someone towards another, violence and abuse, an accident that takes a life, the burial of a loved one, a homeless person, a hungry person. Which would you rather look at? The good or the bad? Which would you rather focus on? Notice I started out with the good things we see and not the bad?
We are called to be a light in the darkness for others, but when we witness things that are bad and even hear things that are negative, our lights can slowly dim. We can go through the motions of doing what God has called us to do, but the light that once shined so brightly may start to dim because of things we see and hear. It’s like trying to warn someone of danger in front of them and grabbing a flashlight to shine the light on what they are about to step on but there are no batteries in the flashlight for the light to shine so they can see the danger. We can warn and witness and preach and teach all day long, but if we do not have the light of Christ within us, all we are doing is waving a dark flashlight. Although you might be saying the right words, they may come out with a negative tone or one of criticism instead of love and kindness.
What are your eyes looking at? How is it affecting you? Are you becoming negative, angry, frustrated? Or are your eyes focused on God and you have peace on the inside though on the outside there are storms around you. Maybe you are in a situation where you are trying to help someone remain hopeful during their situation but watching them and hearing their words have brought you down. Get on your knees and begin praying for God to remove all negativity from your mind and heart and help you to focus on the good in that person. Once we start focusing on the negative side of a person that is all we will see. Ask God to help you to see the positive side.
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” Ephesians 5:8
Jesus, help me to be a light in the midst of the darkness. Help me to keep my eyes focused on you and not on the circumstances surrounding me. If my light is dim, please fill me with your Holy Spirit to make your light brighter within me so I may be that light in the midst of darkness for someone. Give me words of wisdom and love instead of anger and frustration. I surrender all to you Jesus…In Jesus name I pray…Amen.