I Confess... I've Often Wanted to Just Stay Home.

What a troubling time it is to be living in this world.  Violence and venom swirl in a seemingly constant stream of darkness that flows around us and threatens to overwhelm.  In our little corner of Panola County we’ve been witness to two senseless murders in the span of a few short weeks.  I see posts on social media about places I’ve lived and have such fond memories of from my childhood touched more and more often by violence and death.  National and local news outlets feed us an almost endless supply of stories surrounding these and other evils in our midst.  We’re given more and more reason to stay closer to home and become increasingly isolated.  And I more and more often hear people ask, “What’s happened to our community?!  It used to be a safe place to live.”

Granted, not everyone can make that claim.  Not everyone has grown up or lived in a “safe place” or “model community”.  At the same time, even in those places, it seems that the level of violence has become increasingly malevolent.  The regard for human life, dignity, and value has steadily slipped from culture’s collective conscience and been replaced by a self-centered belief that “only MY life has dignity or value. Only those who look, act, or think like me are valuable.”  Is it any wonder that the world seems to be "going to Hell around us"?    

But what can we do?  How can we change things?  Why should I put my neck on the line when it won’t end the violence? 

I suppose that I am often more optimistic than people would think was sane.  And I AM definitely more than a little crazy if I’m honest about it… but I refuse to give in to a belief that darkness is inevitable.  The only way to gauge how dark something is, is to measure the absence of light present in it.  It’s light then that is inevitable, irresistible, and overwhelming.  Darkness can’t prevail unless light is withdrawn.  So we can begin by being or reflecting light into our own little sphere of influence.  In our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our communities… the places we’re most intimately connected to.  And when we join with others who are doing the same, more and more light is generated to push back the shadows that are so menacing.

What do you first notice about this picture?

The dots right?  There seem to be a lot of them… and they draw your attention immediately.  But what if I were to tell you that there is more white space contained in this picture than there are dots?  There is.  I promise. 

That is true of our communities and lives as well.  There are far more and beautifully imperfect, kind, loving, decent, and caring people than there are workers of evil in the world and in our corners of it.  And we surround the pockets of darkness so completely that if we would just become more visible, the darkness would have no place to hide. 

Now, what if only those who claim Christ as their Savior would begin to shine more brightly, rather than retreating to the safety and comfort of our homes and churches?  We have been gifted with the Light of the World.  But we’re never promised that we won’t encounter darkness; only that if we truly let His light shine, darkness will flee.  We’re not called to be safe, or tax exempt, or wealthy, or popular… We’re called to redemption, and then proclaimed to be salt and light!  Shouldn’t we be reflecting that?  As a pastor, I know how wearying it is to continue to watch evil seemingly get worse.  But how frustrating must it be to God to NOT see his light increasing through us?  To NOT hear us proclaiming He’s shown a better way?  To NOT see us living that example?  That’s what is happening when we wring our hands, “hole up”, and agonize while doing nothing to make a change.  The only way that the world can "go to Hell around us", is if the people who belong to the Kingdom of Heaven let it happen.

So if you’re tired of violence and evil, BE the antidote.  Join with others carrying light and shine!!!  Get involved with neighbors in a way that weaves communities back together.  Take time to get to know the children and teens on your block in appropriate ways that let them know that someone cares… and is paying attention.  Give TIME to local outreach through food pantries or ministries… even if you DON’T have anything financial to give.  And that is just the tip of the iceberg.  You can be creative in HOW you shine.  God’s gifted you with SPECIFIC purpose.  Glorify Him, build His people, and USE IT!

Surround the darkness with light and it will disappear!  Remove any place for shadows to lurk and it has no place to take hold and grow from.  It turns out that in Christ, any and every day is a wonderful time to be living in this world.  Violence and venom have already lost, they just don’t know it yet. 

Love in Christ always,

Chris