Pastor Tige shares a great story about his dad who was a high school science teacher. His students would sometimes despair about our world that seemed to be falling apart and where evil was always winning. In response he would share this illustration. In the back of his classroom was a dark closet. He would ask his students, “If I open the door to that closet will the darkness spill out and cover our room?” His students would tell him no of course not – the light from the classroom would illuminate that dark closet.
I’ve been thinking about that story in the context of our theme for this school year “See the Light…Be the Light” based on John 8:12. Sometimes it can seem like the proverbial darkness in our lives is going to overwhelm us. We don’t have enough money and we don’t know where more will come from. Our health or that of a loved one continues to deteriorate, and healing seems hopeless. Our children have drifted away from their faith, and we worry they won’t come back. While these sufferings are genuine and real, John 1:5 tell us that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Regardless of how daunting and insurmountable life’s challenges may appear the light of Christ cannot be overcome by the sinful darkness of this world. Keep your faith and trust in Jesus and regardless of circumstance God’s light will shine in your life and you will not be overcome.