Letting Light In [John 8:12]

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - John 8:12 (NIV)

Jesus is light.

Cool.

What does that mean?

On the surface, it can be summed up pretty easily. Jesus is light. Sin is darkness. Light beats darkness, so Jesus wins against sin.  It's like spiritual rock, paper, scissors. Right?

I'm not so sure that's the end of it.  After all, one of the most harmful things we can do as Christians is oversimplify God. I would actually argue that we've been handling this verse the wrong way for quite a while, and that there is a beautiful meaning just under the surface that opens the verse so much more.

This is one of seven 'I am' statements in the gospel of John.  Each of these statements is meant to reveal an aspect of the divinity and authority of Christ.  The interpretation of these passages generally follows the same pattern:

1. Identify what Jesus is comparing himself to.
2. Identify the characteristics of those objects.
3. Apply those characteristics to Jesus.

This method of interpretation is normally a very accurate one. For example:

• 'I am the vine' becomes 'I am the reason you are able to bear fruit'
• 'I am the good shepherd' becomes 'I am wholeheartedly committed to you, and I lay down my life for you.'
• 'I am the gate' becomes 'I am the only way into heaven'

However, when it comes to the statement 'I am the light of the world,' it seems to me like we missed the point, or at least oversimplified it.  We've labelled light as something that destroys darkness, and while I suppose that is true, I think it's important to note that light also floods dark places. Even the screen you're reading this post on is casting light across your face. If you put a candle in the middle of a dark room, the whole room is filled with the glow of its light. Think about that. A candle, with a flame maybe an inch high, can cast light across an entire room.

See, the beautiful thing is that Jesus is the same way; not only does he destroy the darkness of sin, but he floods the dark places in our lives-the anger, resentment, jealousy and pain that we tend to hold on to. In the same way that even the smallest flame can illuminate the darkest room, by opening our hearts even a little to him, Jesus can bring the comfort and healing into the darkest corners of our heart. When you look at the verse again under the lens of illumination, it takes on an entirely new and comforting meaning.  Not only does Jesus free us from from walking in sin; he also fills the dark and hurting areas of our heart with the joy and comfort that God's light brings.

Giving God Everything

I just started a YouTube channel, and here's my first video, 'Flea Market Faith.' It's all about giving God everything he paid for. Hope you like it!

https://youtu.be/DC_ePvkmM48

What Summer Break?

Finals are over. The stress of all-night studying is finished, and I can feel the information crammed into my mind over the past two weeks flowing quickly away. However, this summer doesn't feel like a break to me. I don't want to take a break.  This summer feels like a step.

This semester, something strange happened.  Remember that feeling you got way back in kindergarten? That craving for knowledge? I got that feeling again.

I'm 20 years old and I've already been kicked out of college once. I failed every class except one because none of them captured my attention at all.  I had no plan. No direction. But God has helped me find that direction.

This year, I joined Gamma Sigma Phi, which is a social club at Harding University (the Christian alternative to all of the connotations associated with real Greek life).  Throughout the process of pledging, my new brothers and I were forced to memorize the club's verse:

     "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."-Colossians 3:23

Though I recited those words at least thirty times throughout the week, they never truly sank in.  That is, until I saw my transcript for the semester.  My GPA was ridiculously low.  I broke down and talked for hours about it with my girlfriend Ashley. Then, it just clicked.  It was time to work at this with all my heart. So that's what I did.

This semester, I finished with a GPA of 3.625.  That is the highest my grades have been since the 7th grade. I'm still in shock honestly. As each grade came back better than the last, opportunities began coming my way.  I was asked to preach twice at a small local church a few minutes away from Harding.  I got the opportunity for an amazing internship this summer.  I was nominated to be a Spiritual Life Director for Gamma Sigma Phi, and I was asked to be a room leader at a youth retreat this summer.  It's so crazy to me that the second I moved forward and put effort into my dream of being a preacher, God put this whole list of opportunities in front of me.

In Luke 11:9-10, Jesus says "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  In light of these opportunities, this passage (one of my favorites) has taken on a new meaning.  Jesus is clearly saying that God can open doors, grant what you ask for, and show you what you look for. What is just as important though, is the implied meaning.  One must ask. One must seek. One must knock. One must act, and God will do the rest.

Michael Scott said, in one of my favorite quotes from The Office, "Sometimes I'll start a sentence, and I don't even know where it's going. I just hope I find it along the way. Like an improv conversation. An improversation."

Sometimes we have to start taking steps toward God's plan for us, and we won't even know where it's going. We just have hope that God finds us along the way.