Lent
March 11, 2018
Scripture Reading: John 3:14-21
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’ –John 3:19-21
There is an attitude in our land that If I do something, it is right even if it is wrong when someone else does it. I think Jesus would label that hypocritical. Most prominent in politics, it crosses all strata of life. I lost count of the Oklahoma legislators who have resigned this year for inappropriate behavior; I think it is four, but it may be five. These are the people who are supposed to be writing the laws by which we are to live and appropriating the use of our tax dollars.
Many talk in holier-than-thou language. One Congressman from Pennsylvania, a very outspoken abortion foe, was caught telling his girlfriend to get an abortion*. Apparently, all his abortion stand meant to him was some guaranteed votes. I think such behavior stems from assuming power people do not have. The problem is: we let them get away with it. Evil does prevail in darkness where we only see what we want to see through the tunnel vision of our sins.
My high school had a Halloween carnival one year where we created a scary room in which we lead people along a darkened path making them think they were near the edge of a ledge, dipped their hands in a bowl of eyeballs they could not see that were grapes in egg whites, and other frightening experiences that if participants had seen would have made them laugh at their fear.
Darkness and the evil it protects is overcome by light. In John 8:12 Jesus is quoted as saying:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’
As followers of Christ, we are called to amplify his light so that all can transition from darkness to light.
Prayer: God of Light, help us to let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Amen.
*https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-10-04/pro-life-rep-tim-murphy-pressured-mistress-to-get-abortion
**Based on Matthew 5:16