Shining Light for Darkness
In Isaiah’s day, the prophet spoke of people who were putting “darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20). The idea was basically that the people had gotten their moral bearings so wrong that what the Lord called evil, they called good, and vice versa. They were willing to say the things associated with darkness were actually light.
And then we come to America in 2015. Not only are we calling things that are dark light, we are actually lighting up the darkness to make it appear as if it is light.
For proof of that, just consider two buildings that have been lit up for darkness in recent days.
First, the White House, instead of simply being lit up in white as it is each evening, was lit up in rainbow colors. It just so happened this lighting decision was made on the evening that the Supreme Court of the United States legalized homosexual “marriage” across the land. Of course, the rainbow is a symbol of the gay pride movement, so our President was saying that our nation–since he lives in the “people’s house”–was accepting of this decision. By lighting up the White House in these colors, he was symbolically saying that America thinks this is an action of light. Scripture, however, affirms that practicing homosexuality is an act of darkness (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Then, just a few days ago, the Empire State Building continued a tradition of lighting up the top few floors in green to celebrate the end of the Islam month of Ramadan. What drew the ire of most people, though, was that this was just hours after a Muslim had killed American servicepeople in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Still, the owners of the Empire State Building–a private building–decided to go ahead and celebrate Islam by making the top of the building resemble a green-domed mosque. They were, symbolically, stating that Islam is light. Scripture, on the other hand, affirms that there is only one way to God (John 14:6), and we are to worship no other than Jehovah alone (Exodus 20:3).
Throughout the Bible, there is an emphasis given on the need for true light in the world. There is also an emphasis, however, on how evil can get twisted and turned into what people think is the light, when in fact it is still darkness; it is still evil.
In John 3, Jesus stated:
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evi. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out by God. (John 3:19-21)
What a contrast that is to our world! Our world is not trying to run away from the light. Instead, our world is using light to shine evil and sin for all to see. Our world is using the symbol of light to try to say that evil is good.
What does this mean for us? It means we have to shine brighter as God’s people than we ever have. It means we need to always bring more light than heat to conversations and relationships. It means we have to continue to show that what the world calls good and light is actually still evil and darkness.
In short, it means we must be light, shine light, teach light, and walk in the light.
God did not call us to light up buildings. Instead, He commands us to let our own personal light shine, even in the midst of a dark world (Philippians 2:15), and always to His glory (Matthew 5:16). Are you shining?
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
Photos: Ted Eytan and Arturo Pardavila III on Creative Commons
