“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”
– Ephesians 5:8

I had a friend in college who was from China.  One day in his rather sparce apartment, we were discussing how to deal with people who persecute you.  He had and was still being discriminated against constantly by our fellow redneck students.  I asked him how he dealt with it.

He explained that in his country, it is taught that when people attack you or insult you, you are taught to imagine yourself sitting in a room surrounded by many people.  Some insult you and hate you.  Others in the room love you and respect you.  You have a choice to face those that dislike you and accept their scorn, or you can turn and face those that respect you and accept their love.

He said that there are too many people that respect you to spend your time accepting the scorn of those who do not.  That wisdom has stayed with me for nearly 60 years.  I wish I practiced it all the time, but I don’t.  I focus on the bad, not the good.  It also reminds me of Jesus during His life, especially towards the end (Isaiah 53:7-9).  He was not worried about the opinions and supposed power of men (John 19:11).  He wasn’t worried about the ridicule of those around Him; He only focused on doing what His Father wanted Him to do (Mark 14:36).

We are all aware that our society is rapidly deteriorating.  There seems to be no end until we completely implode.  Knowing this, we have a choice to focus on the bad or look for the good.  That does not mean we ignore the evil in life.  It means that if we focus on darkness and the lies of Satan, our whole inside world will become dark with fear and anxiety, and we become hopeless hiding in isolation (John 13:34-35).

If we focus on the Light, we become full of light (1 John 1:7).  We see the beauty of what God has made around us.  We see the beauty of people like us that are peaceful, hopeful, and full of purpose; because they are also filled with the light of Jesus’ love.

In Psalm 30:5, we are comforted with knowing that, “. . . weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  We are not isolated, because Jesus is with us always (Hebrews 13:5).  God has not made us capable of changing society or stopping evil.  We need not fear what we cannot change, only that we are not changed by that darkness (Hebrews 13:6).

Live in the Light.  Walk in the Light.  Enjoy the fellowship of Christ-minded people (1 Peter 2:9).  Remember what Jesus’ said about praying.

. . . Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
(perfect, loving, and all-powerful)
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth,
(in us)
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
(fears, lies, sins)
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom,
(world)
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(So let it be.)
– Matthew 6:9-13

So today, let it be.  Like Christ (the light of the world), let the Holy Spirit be in us so that others may see Him (Matthew 5:16).

– Written by Pa

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