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CHALLENGES IN LIVING
TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY
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Being a
Light in the Darkness
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by Tom
Caballes
"You
yourselves used to be in the
darkness, but since you have become
the Lord's people, you are in the
light. So you must live like people
who belong to the light, for it is
the light that brings a rich harvest
of every kind of goodness,
righteousness, and truth. '"
-
Ephesians 5:8-9 GNB
Walking in the dark can get you into trouble – you
can stumble and fall, bang your toe, or bash your
head. All of us are drawn to the light because
light paves the way for us to move safely. The
world we live in, in a way, is very dark – the
erosion of core moral values and family life, the
“me” mentality, and relativism are among the
current trends that are not of God. And the world
we live in gets darker every day. The darker the
world gets, a small source of light stands out
even more – and is more crucial. In the midst of
the darkness, God wants us to be the light of the
world. So, no matter how dark our environment is,
people around us should see some hope and
encouragement – if we live like the light in the
darkness. Do you see yourself as a light-bearer in
this dark world? What happens if there are many
“lights” in your situation?
So How Do You
Become Light in the Midst of
Darkness?
- Live
a respectable and reputable life – no
hypocritical or double life. Little by
little, grow in holiness and character like
Christ’s. Be patient, kind and loving, but
do not aim to be a people-pleaser; be a
God-pleaser. Aim to be respected rather than
be liked by others. Actions speak louder
than words; before you can say anything,
people tend to look at your behaviour and
attitude. Be able to sleep well at night,
knowing you lived the day in good
conscience. Live as if you will one day
account for your life – because you will.
- Choose
to do the loving thing. Loving others is
easy to say but hard to do. Your ability to
love is limited; seek God’s love, patience,
and forgiveness when yours ran out. See how
loving and forgiving God is to you.
- Avoid
arguments; be open to sharing your opinion
with others without being apologetic about
it – only if your opinion is asked. Do not
generalise and be judgmental, but be kind
and considerate of others’ views. Start your
sharing with “this is my view about it…”
Your opinion has more weight if you have the
reputation and the character – being loving,
patient and considerate, etc. - to back it
up. Your goal in sharing your view is not to
prove them wrong or yourself right, but to
bring them closer to Jesus. Consider sharing
why you believe in such a way, or how you
used to believe the same way as they do, and
why you changed.
- Know
your faith well. You do not need to be a
theologian or a philosopher to explain your
faith, but you need to know the basics and
the “whys” of your beliefs. Learn and
practice how to share the basic gospel
message. Practice sharing your personal
testimony with others. Seek opportunities to
share your testimony – it is something they
cannot dispute or challenge.
- Know
that God calls you to be a light bearer in
your unique situation at this time and age.
Be faithful to your call. Ask yourself: how
can I be a mini-Jesus in my family, work,
school, church, and community? How can I
work with other light bearers around me, so
together we can produce an even bigger
light?
Other Scripture passages:
- "You
are the light of the world. A city set on
a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people
light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on a stand, and it gives light to all
in the house. In the same way, let your
light shine before others, so that they
may see your good works and give glory to
your Father who is in heaven. [Matthew
5:14-16 ESV]
- Walk
in wisdom toward outsiders, making the
best use of the time. Let your speech
always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so
that you may know how you ought to answer
each person. [Colossians 4:5-6 ESV]
- Other
references: Romans 13:11-14; Philippians
2:15-16; 1 Peter 2:9 and 1 John 1:5-7
For
personal reflection or
group sharing
- How
do you make a difference in your workplace
or school? Do people around you see a
difference in you, or are you “one of the
crowd?”
- Do
people around you see the light of Christ in
you?
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Tom
Caballes is the
National Senior
Administrator and a
National Coordinator
of the Lamb
of God, a
community of the
Sword of the Spirit
with 7 branches
located throughout
New Zealand. Tom
also leads Kairos
New
Zealand, an
outreach program for
high school,
university, and
post-university aged
people.
Tom and
his wife Mhel and
their two
daughters live in
Wellington, New
Zealand.
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