Only light can repel darkness

For most Australians today literal darkness isn’t much of a problem. We have artificial light at our finger tips and as such can do almost any activity we wish day or night. But the metaphorical  darkness of evil still plagues us. We witness political leaders using their power for their own gain at the expense of others, civilians being killed for disagreeing with authorities, money being siphoned into leaders pockets while populations are hungry and homeless. The rich protect the rich without reference to truth or justice. Self service, corruption, greed, deception, violence, this is the kind of moral darkness we can feel powerless to repel.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. famously preached “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” This is the tragedy of the unfolding events in the USA. When I see images of understandably angry crowds verbally abusing ICE agents I feel their anger with them. However, I also see hate fighting against hate and doubt it will bring positive change.

The problem is, if we are honest with ourselves, we aren’t full of the love and light needed to drive out evil. If we are really honest with ourselves, we are also guilty, at least to some degree, of self-service, deception, greed, hostility…

Jesus speaks into this when He says, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12NLT

When we despair of the evil in the world, the pain and suffering humans are causing other humans, and feel powerless to change, not only the system that has allowed it, but our part in it, Jesus’ promise brings us real hope.

Jesus doesn’t fight the evil in the world, or the evil in us, with hate but with love, self-sacrificing, pure, unfaltering love.

This is further explained in this Bible passage: “God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood [death] of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin..”1 John 1:5-9

The light of Jesus–His sinless life, His sacrificial death, His triumphant resurrection from the dead, is the only thing that can truly repel the darkness in the world and the darkness in ourselves. Eradication of evil won’t come to full fruition until Jesus comes back to earth to consummate His eternal kingdom. Until then moral darkness will always plague our world. Yet we can walk in His light, we can confess our sins and be forgiven. We can repel the darkness within us with His pure light, and shine that light to those around us.

Step into the light of Jesus and repel the darkness today.

Prayer: Dear God, I look at the state of the world and grieve the evil I see. Yet I confess there is also sin within me. Forgive me. Purify me through the death of Jesus on my behalf. Help me to walk in your light and repel the darkness around me. In Jesus name I ask this. Amen.

Acknowledgement: This article was sourced from Outreach Media, Sydney, Australia.
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