by Allen Carter
Head of Development, CBN Europe
It’s been some years since I was in school. However, I can still remember my physics teacher – Mr Hale – teaching my class about light. The colours that make up the light spectrum are from three primary colours: red, yellow and blue. Nobody can create these primary colours independently, but when brought together, these three primary colours become white or white light.
Ephesians 5:8-14 NIV says “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
It’s interesting that in this passage Paul says, “live as children of the light.” He then goes on to explain what are the fruits of light that Christ would have us walk in. I don’t believe it is by any accident that these primary or fundamental fruits of light also consist of three elements “goodness, righteousness and truth.”
Independently each of these fruits is significant, and yet, when they come together, they become even more powerful and effective. We also read in these verses and are warned “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Where light is absent, darkness becomes the norm.
God has placed you and I in this world to shine like stars or lights as we hold firmly to the word of life.
Martin Luther King Jr said “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
We live in a world where, during these times, darkness appears to be even more prevalent. But the truth of God’s word declares in John 1:5 NIV “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Darkness cannot extinguish the light. It can never be defeated, comprehended, diminished or quenched. The darker it becomes, the brighter the light needs to shine.
During these times, we need to let the light of our actions and our words impact those around us. For too long we have allowed the words of the song “this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine” shape our thinking and belief system. We should remind ourselves that the light we shine is not small or insignificant; neither should we apologise for walking in the truth.
Philippians 2:14-16 NIV says, ‘Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.’
As children of God, our mandate, although at challenging at times, is to do all things without grumbling or complaining, living pure and blameless without fault amid a wicked and warped generation. God has placed you and I in this world to shine like stars or lights as we hold firmly to the word of life. When we choose to walk in the truth of who God has called us to be “everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes light.”
Let us determine that as children of the light we will display the primary fruits of goodness, righteousness and truth so that those who are living in darkness will see and have an encounter with Jesus and turn from darkness to light.
