Punching Holes In The Darkness

By John Clardy

Matthew 5:14-16 ASV

(14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

(15)  Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.

(16)  Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

As a young child, Robert Louis Stevenson was sitting at the front window in his grandmother’s house as dusk was turning to darkness. Fascinated by the lamplighter coming down the street lighting the old-fashioned gas street lamp, he called out, "Nana! Come quickly. There's a man coming down the street punching holes in the darkness!"

Spiritual darkness has consistently encroached upon our society causing massive erosion of morality and human decency. Things that just a few decades ago were considered absolute necessities have been dismissed as archaic and optional.  Marriage is being redefined as between consenting adults regardless of their sexual orientation, the termination of unborn children is being defended as the right of choice and the rejection of God in public office totally disregards what our constitutional fathers intended.

Recently, I listened to an interview of a convicted murderer. The reporter asked the man, “Why did you commit this murder?” His response, though shocking, starkly illustrates the evil of our world. He said, “I was bored! I didn’t have anything better to do!”

Paul wrote of this day in his second epistle to Timothy. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13 

Is there any hope? What can we do?  Either we can curse the darkness or we can turn on the light!  You may feel your "light" is too small, that it is not adequate enough or that it is not important, but all the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of one ordinary Christian! The only one that can cover that light is you! 

One of the first songs that I learned as a child in Sunday School says, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!  Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine!  Put it under a bushel? NO!  I’m gonna let it shine!  Won’t let satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine!  Let it shine, let it shine let it shine!”

The way to overcome evil is with good!  Jesus said, “… let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

We can make a difference! We can push back the darkness by allowing God's love to shine through us!  Every time we do an act of kindness, every time we encourage a friend, every time we pray, every time we do what is right, every time we vote for public servants that believe in Christian values, we are uncovering the light and punching holes in the spiritual darkness that surrounds us!