Living in the Light

We’ve had another growing project at our house this month.  My son needed to grow radish seeds for his Biology class.  The directions were to prepare two shallow pans with a thin layer of dirt and then to wet, but not drench the dirt.  After getting the dirt sufficiently wet you were to sprinkle 30 radish seeds on top of the dirt in each pan.  Then you were to cover the pans with plastic wrap.  One pan was placed into a box and sealed up, while the other pan remained out in the open.  Both pans, in their various states, sat in indirect sunlight for several days.

We could see the pan that was in the open and started noticing that the radish seeds were expanding.  Eventually, they started to sprout.  It was so strange because they weren’t buried in the dirt, just sitting on top of it.  And yet the sprouts began to grow tall.

The pan sealed up in the box remained closed for several days.  Once the seeds that were in the open began growing tall, we opened the box to look at the seeds that had been hidden from the light.  Honestly, I expected them to have done nothing.  But to my surprise, they had grown like the ones out of the box.

However, there were some differences.  The seeds that had been exposed to sunlight seemed to have stronger stalks and their leaves were a vibrant green color.  The seeds that had been sealed in the box appeared to have weaker stalks and their leaves were yellow.

It made me think about what it looks like when we are exposed to the light.  As we encounter Jesus we grow stronger and more vibrant.  When we abide with Jesus we become beacons of light that point others back to his mercy and love.  We are able to look at the world around us and act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.  When we are in the light we flourish and in turn help those around us to flourish too.  The light has a ripple effect.

But what happens when we are separated from the light?  For a while, everything might seem fine.  Sure, our leaves may be a little yellow and our stalks are less stable, but it seems like we are doing ok on our own.  Just like the light has a ripple effect, darkness does too.  We can’t do things in our own strength for very long.  Without the light, we will eventually wander off course and end up working toward our own plans and purposes.  We might still be standing, but we won’t be as strong.  Any little wind or storm will topple us if we are not abiding with Jesus.

What does it look like for you to abide with Jesus?  How do you know when you’ve lost sight of Jesus and are operating in your own strength?  What formation practices help you keep a rhythm of being with Jesus regularly? Are your leaves green and strong or are they yellow and droopy?

When Jesus is our source of light he illuminates for us the dark places.  He helps us to see where we need to grow and where we need to let go.  He shows us ways that we can offer hope to a weary world.  He reminds us that all power and authority come from him and that as his ambassadors we are empowered to be light in the darkness.

May you live deeply immersed in the light and may that light shine out of you as a beacon of hope for all to see.

~  Melissa