Did you notice? Did you feel it? October 2009 was the dreariest on record in Minnesota, according to an article in the Star Tribune. The sun shone less last month than any other October. Stores selling sun boxes may have liked it but few others did. People were crabby and tired – gloomy like the weather.
November is off to a far better start. This weekend was beautiful! Abundant sunshine and temperatures in the 60s. It seems we were all in good moods (well, except for maybe that cashier at Target on Friday – boo!). We took to our outdoor activities — clinging to the sun and warmth like a shy toddler affixed to his mother’s leg.
As I write this, I’ve situated myself directly in the sunlight pouring through my south-facing patio door. The laptop is propped on my outstretched legs, and I’m soaking in all the rays I can get. It feels so good. It’s therapeutic. I’m beaming just like the sun.
Light is life-giving emotionally and physically. Our bodies convert the sunlight on our skin into vitamin D, which helps ease depression and strengthens our bones. Without sunlight, we are likely to be moody, as evident by our dispositions during October.
Spiritually, we can walk in darkness as well. Without Christ, the Light of the world, we are also prone to depression and a search for purpose. John 1:4: “Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” He brings light into our darkest places, bringing healing and forgiveness where humanly it may not be possible. This light gives us strength to persevere through tough times. It brings hope into despair. When the Light of God comes into your life, it’s like sunbeams bursting directly into your heart and putting a spring into your step.
John 8:12: 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.”
With Jesus lighting our way, we tend to make better decisions. When we put him at the center of our lives, we get a new perspective on priorities. We live life differently — in a way that others notice. They see the positive changes in us and wonder why we’ve changed. They may even want what we have.
Matthew 5:14-15: “You are the light of the world – like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead put it on a stand and let it shine for all.”
Sometimes, we as Christians don’t live like we have the light of Christ in us. We worry. We are crabby and depressed. We act just like non-Christians. It’s easy to get pulled into our culture that conditions us to these behaviors. We may fall back into our old ways because they feel comfortable or normal. Just to be accepted, we may compromise our beliefs and values.
Compromise works in some relationships but not in our relationship with God. With Christ at the center of our lives, we can truly experience his life-giving light that helps us to overcome societal pressures and the tendency to compromise. Come to the light. Leave the darkness behind. Let the light of Jesus shine in and through you to experience life to its fullest.
Where might you be compromising your beliefs and values to gain acceptance from friends, family, or co-workers? With whom do you tend to be silent about your faith when God may be prompting you to speak out? How can you soak in the light of Christ today to sense the hope and peace found only in him?
