Do You Love the Light

“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God" (John 3:20-21) I grew up on a farm in central Minnesota. We had some unusual creatures living among us. We always had an ample supply of snakes, our farm house was built with a rock foundation and the openings in the rocks would allow snakes access to the house. My mother had a phobia concerning snakes and her screams sent me rushing to her rescue many times as a youngster. Another creature we had in abundance was the rat. It was said that if you ever spotted a rat in the day light you could be assured you had 100 rats living in or around the barn and out buildings. I saw quite a few rats in the daylight, rat counting on our farm would have been a daunting task. I remember as a boy going into the granary at night with a large flashlight. I would shine the light toward a mountain of ground corn and watch the rats scatter. They hated the light and would scamper away from it as fast as their little rat legs could take them. The same principle applies to people who hate the light. The Light of the world is Jesus. Biblical light also speaks of truth. The Word of God gives light. "The Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Those who delight in evil hate the light because their evil acts are exposed by it. The Church of Jesus Christ is to be a light bearer. "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent " (Revelation 3:4-5). On the other hand those who love Jesus, love truth. They come to the light and as they walk in the light they receive more light. These light walkers realize its God who is working through their lives. They realize the good that flows from their lives finds its source in the Lord Himself. Seems to me there are two kinds of people. Light lovers, they receive more light, and light haters, their darkness continues to deepen. We as God's children are called to be light lovers and light bearers. To be a light bearer is really a life and death matter. We are called to bear the truth of the Gospel to a fallen world. "To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things" (II Cor. 2:16)? The question God the Father poses to a fallen world is still "What will you do with my Son Jesus"? Rejection of the Savior has eternal consequences. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). When I was a child, I attended Sunday School, there I would sing "This little light of mine, I'm going to let to shine," Along with all the other little kids, I would stick my finger in the air and wave it around as I sang. Whatever the light was we were going to let it shine all over Little Falls, Minnesota. I really never figured out what that light was all about until I became a Christian years later, that's when the light song started to make sense. The words "Hide it under a bushel, NO, I'm going to let it shine." Points out that sin in ones life hides the light, refusing to tell others about Jesus hides the light. Living like the world hides the light. Jesus said "You are the light of the world." Lets let Jesus shine through our lives today. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.