Light

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was a big reader. She loved books. She loved good stories. She loved the adventure, the excitement, the hope ~ but then some of the written words began to get a little blurry. She figured it was because she read a lot, and often in the late evening when her eyes were tired. But no amount of eye rubbing and blinking would change the fact that strings of words were not clear anymore. Upon visiting the eye doctor, she discovered that she needed reading glasses.
She didn't like to wear them often, but she found that blurry words were not assisting her enjoyment of stories, and reading in dim or yellow lighting proved to be taxing on her eyeballs. She needed to wear glasses. So, she placed them on her face, and when necessary, she removed herself to a place with brighter light.

Brighter light always helps.
When the light shines brightly,  one can see clearly.
In the darker light, things are blurred, distorted and difficult.

It's the same in life.
Live in the darkness, and you don't live with clear, accurate vision.
Live in the darkness for too long, then what you can see in its dimness, masquerades as the truth.
You don't see the bigger picture of hope, life, and true love.

There was a man named Nicodemus. (John 3)
He approached Jesus in the dark of the night.
I wonder why.
Was he afraid of being seen by his peers speaking with this man who did miracles?
Was he afraid of daylight revealing who he was?

Darkness hides.
Light exposes.
Darkness holds in bondage.
Light gives freedom.
Darkness deceives.
Light reveals truth.
Darkness suffocates.
Light gives breath.
Darkness hates.
Light loves.
Darkness scowls.
Light smiles.
Darkness conforms.
Light transforms.
Darkness stagnates.
Light flourishes.

So often we think what is done in the cover of darkness is acceptable. It seems less convicting if we can't see it for what it is.
Destruction under the guise of freedom.

Recently, I went camping. For a weekend we lived on a campsite that was shrouded by various evergreen trees. It was dark, cool, and mosquito-ridden. At times we had to go out into the open field just to escape the pests that came after us in the darkness, and realized that out in the open, where there was light and a refreshing breeze, it was several degrees warmer, we could see clearly, and we were not dodging the irritating bites of bugs that love the cool, damp, dimness the trees offered.

From reading glasses ~ to a man who met Jesus ~ to camping in the bush ~ there is much to say about living in the light
But the greatest thing is this:

"Jesus said to the people, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.' " (John 8:12, NLT)

There is a choice.
Light or dark.
Life or death.

Jesus. Is. Light.
Follow Him. Tread soundly. Have light. Have life.