Day 2955 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Matthew 5:14 NIV

Cannot be hidden.

That's one of the undeniable truths about a light. It cannot be hidden. Cannot be ignored. Cannot be disproven or denied. This fact is most easily and yet perfectly evidenced in this simple experiment of reality: Go into a darkened room, completely pitch black, and light a match. The light from that tiny match overcomes all that darkness that had consumed that room prior to its being lit. A light cannot be hidden, no matter the darkness around it.

How is it then that the darkness of this world is seeming to overpower, overrun and overwhelm the light we're called to share? How is it that we can so easily find or name or determine those who refuse to shine for Him even though they bear the Name and hold the positions and speak from the pulpits? How is it that the line between darkness and light is being so blurred so drastically and so frequently?

It's because a weak and distracted faith is a faith powerless to invoke the courage needed to inspire change. Which is exactly what we've been called to do. But not only called, also equipped. Christ sent forth His light into our midst, into our hearts to help us stand up and stand out and stand apart for Him amongst the darkness enveloping this earth. He did so, He gave us this little light that we might shine for all the world to most clearly see that we're different, that we're changed and that we can bring change to those who are sick and tired of existing in the shadows of sin.

That's yet another undeniable aspect of light: It changes things around it. Harken back, if you will, to that little experiment I described above. Concealed within the pitch-black abyss of that darkened room were all of the things contained in that room. They were lost, unseen, unknown and unable to found. But once that little light from that little match was lit, they changed. They were once again found, seen, noticed and known. It’s as if those objects, once lost in the abysmal darkness were brought back to life once more.

Because that’s what light does.

Light overcomes darkness and it changes everything that it illuminates. And if these two simple yet undeniable facts are true about light, then we must begin asking ourselves why so little is changing is changing for the better. Why is so little being accomplished for Christ? Why is the darkness being allowed into the spaces that ought to be reserved for His light? Why is His light, if we do truly carry it, being ousted so easily?

Well, the answer is rather simple: We've become afraid to shine.

We've become afraid to illuminate the darkness out of fear that those happily lost within it will hate us for stirring their slumbering souls. We've grown afraid of letting this little light shine because we're terrified of the dark. Not necessarily in child-like way where we’re afraid of unseen monsters lurking in the shadows. Instead, we’re apparently afraid of the monsters unleashing their hatred in broad daylight. We’re afraid of the recourse and rebuke of the retaliatory. We’re afraid of being on the losing end of the power being displayed by those embracing the darkness around us.

And although it sounds like a childhood concern, being afraid of the dark doesn't end just because your age increases. We only stop being afraid of the dark when we step into the light and refuse to let anything or anyone take that light away.

Which is, I dare say, the problem at hand. We're allowing this darkened world to take our light. We're letting the darkness of the hatred being poured out all around us prevent us from shining the light of a love that the world no longer cares to understand. We're letting the darkness of society's preferences prevent us from inspiring change. We're allowing the darkness of the graves in which so many wish to remain to cause us to douse our flame so that they're not roused against us.

In short, we're seeing, at least parts or at least partially, a church running scared. Afraid of being labeled, afraid of being misunderstood, afraid of being what we're called to be in a place that has made it clear that what we're called to be is not welcome and never will be.

Thus we find stained-glass buildings hosting worldly events. We see videos of speakers who dare call themselves pastors or preachers sharing messages making sin seem acceptable. We find a body of believers leaning so heavily on the world's definition and desire for an appeasing kind of love that it cannot speak out against the chains holding people captive. We find a church, a body of those calling themselves by the Name of their Savior, failing to shine the light of that Savior that's meant to illuminate the dark and bring the dead to life.

Sadly, we're at risk of becoming an army without weapons in a war for souls that are being consumed by the pride of sinful life. We're at risk of failing to make an impact because we're becoming afraid of making a difference because it requires us to be boldly different. We're at risk of encouraging death just so we don't have to risk dying from the world's embrace.

To be the light of the world we simply cannot be afraid of illuminating the darkness into which we're called to go and speak and serve and strive to make known the Name of the only hope that any of us have at anything better than the eternal death for which we've selfishly chosen to live. To be His ambassadors, we mustn't adopt nor approve nor repeat the wayward messages approved of by those we're called to help reach.

In other words, in order to do this job of being His light, we cannot douse the flame He ignited inside just because it makes those lost in the dark uncomfortable.

Yet, sadly, that is exactly what some are doing and what many more will be encouraged and implored to do going forward. Because the darkness in this world will not stop being dark. And if we truly want to help people find the hope of Heaven through Jesus Christ whom we now claim to serve, we must shine as brightly as possible, and never once allow the darkness to convince us to tone it down.

In recent days, I've seen folks bickering back and forth as to this calling to be a light in the dark. Does it mean that we go into the dark carrying our light wherever He leads? Absolutely. Does it mean that we walk unafraid of our surroundings out of reverent assurance of the One who walks beside us? Indeed. But does it mean that we must find a way to make this light we carry more pleasing to eyes blinded by the darkness through which we stroll?

Absolutely not.

We cannot contend for the light against the dark by pretending that the dark isn't there. We cannot make ourselves appear as if we’re shining more brightly by merely agreeing that the darkness around us isn't as dark as some may assume. We cannot make the world a better place by preaching messages saying that it's not all that bad to begin with.

In truth, this place and the lives being lived within it and by it and for it, the lives we ourselves have lived, are entirely unacceptable. Sin is in no way harmless or light hearted. Sin is death, Scripture makes that part crystal clear. And simply put, however someone or some group may feel about their preferred perversion has not, does not and will not ever change what God has defined as morally reprehensible and utterly detestable.

And that right there is the sticking point and stumbling block over which many are beginning to trip. The world loves sin, always has. They love the darkness as it provides a shelter in which they can try and conceal their indiscretions. And as the light of the world, a world lost in darkness is just gonna hate us.

We’re oil to their water. Truth amidst the lies. Life defeating death. Fully awake among those peacefully at ease in their selfish ways. And well, nobody likes being shaken awake from a selfishly pleasant sleep. This world we're in is snoozing on the truth, and our daring to wake them up will be met with utter disdain. But that in no way means we can avoid the task at hand.

Because, as we discussed yesterday, there's simply too much on the line to refuse to engage in this good fight.

Nowhere in Scripture does the Bible tell us to make friends. Nowhere does it ask us to make the truth seem less offensive or painful. Nowhere does it ask us to make sure the world likes what they hear so that they're willing to try it out for a time. Nowhere are we commanded to seek approval or acceptance from a culture still living in opposition to our Father.

It commands us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel that demands humility that makes possible repentance that is an absolute necessity for salvation.

We can't change His Word to make it more appeasing. We can't dim our light to make it less piercing. We can't sidestep this calling to make ourselves more appealing. And we can't agree to fail our Savior by hiding the message He gave us to share just because the world keeps on telling us just how much they really don't want to hear it.

Cannot be hidden. Should not be hidden, that much should be obvious if we truly hold to the truth of our faith. It should not be hidden, but in the end, it cannot be hidden.

So, if we think that we're somehow able to or are actively managing to hide or conceal or soften our Christian image so as to not offend the masses around us who do not like our Christian beliefs, then we're fooling ourselves. If we think that we can make our faith more pleasing to a world convinced it's foolish, we're fooling ourselves. If we think we can cherry-pick passages and radically warp them out of context to better fit what itching ears wish to hear, we're fooling ourselves.

And if we think that we can please God by avoiding His call to shine for Him amidst this incredible darkness that's growing ever dimmer all around us all the time, then we're fools.

If we can manage to hide our light, then our light isn't there, because light cannot be hidden. The time for foolishness is over and done. We're either about this life, or we're not. There is no other way. No matter what anyone else may say. We either agree to shine or refuse to try. Do or do not, that is all there is to the matter.

So, do you stand on the Word of God or with the crowd that so clearly hates it? The answer is readily found in just how far you're willing to bend in order to please those around you. Because, if pleasing those around you is of any concern, then your light will have to dim. And if you’re willing to dim your light to appease those who prefer to live at ease, then you must not be all that interested in the urgent call to head for the boat before the waters rise.

In the end, it's on us as to whether or not we let this little light shine. We don't have to, and it's only going to become harder to do so as it’s becoming more and more evident that it's not welcome down here. But it's on us. Do we do what the world asks of us, or what Christ asks of us? Can't do both.

But if we choose to bear His Name and receive His light, we better be willing to undertake the task of shining in a place that clearly only likes the dark. Light cannot be hidden, no matter the darkness around it. Amidst the deepening depravity engulfing this world, we who are in Christ should be willing to rise and shine His light unashamedly. If for nothing else than the simple fact of knowing that the world desperately needs to see it so they can find Him before the final outcome of every life is decided.

Fitting in is no longer a concern as it is no longer a possibility.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold