Sunday, 3/26For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ In one of our recent children’s chapel services, I asked our kids to identify and describe their favorite lights. One boy immediately raised his hand to talk about his nightlight. He described in detail the way it spins and the colors it gives off – red, blue, and green. He said it makes him feel happy and not so afraid of the dark. One girl talked about her lava lamp. The shapes it has that float up and down and make her feel calm and at peace. And another boy stated that his favorite light is the Christmas tree – how all of those multi-colored mini-lights shine together to make one big light, that can be seen from really far away. These images may help us to understand what it means to be light and live as children of the light in Christ. I was especially struck that the first image of light offered by the children was that of the night light – a light that dispels the scary darkness of the long and lonely night, provides just enough light for a path to walk, offers comfort and safety. It is this image of God – especially recalled at the Great Vigil of Easter – the Light of Christ breaking into the dark – that helps us to understand what it means to be a light in the often dark world. We are made in the image of God and thus called to be this light also. I further asked the children to identify how they might be a light in the world in the coming week. One talked about including even some of the slow boys in football, one talked about being gentle with her baby sister, another talked about “saying please and thank you.” And one unique boy talked about avoiding distraction. He said he was going to pay closer attention in school and try to keep his friends from distractions too. In my mind, this boy stood out as someone who can clearly see priorities – what to focus on and what to avoid. A wonderful example for us adults too – to continue to be open to listening and learning. What is your favorite light? And how can you be that kind of light in the world? - The Rev’d Suzanne Culhane
Today's |