Light that leads to life
I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have light that leads to life. —John 8:12 (NLT)
Have a ninety-pound black lab as a best bud on the floor beside you and you’ll know that walking in darkness from your bedroom to the bathroom in the middle of the night might be a tripping hazard.
So, in comes the nightlight.
The first night I had a nightlight as an adult with Boris, my black lab, brought me back to my childhood.
When I was a kid, I was not a fan of the nightlight. Now I was a nervous tot, so the light was welcome—the big (overhead) light, that is. The shadows a little bulb created left great uncertainties and far too many dark corners. Something I didn’t want to have hiding could be doing just that—hiding!—in that area beyond the dresser. And the dark corner beyond the closet? Terrible, scary things could lurk there.
As a boy, the little light didn’t lead to life, it led to fear. As an adult, the little light was fine—once I got used to it. But let me explain. I didn’t start off with baby Boris and a nightlight. I had to stumble in the dark for many months before I even thought of getting a nearby nightlight—and even then, that glowing bulb messed up the first moments of pre-sleep. I mean, that thing was ON. How do you sleep with such visual intrusion?
Maybe that’s how it is with Jesus and the light he speaks of here. You have to get used to it. Specifically, you have to get used to Jesus leading the way to life.
Now familiar to the nightlight, I see Sarah, my latest black lab (she is my third), nestled in deep sleep. This sight of this big, goofy beast in gentle sleep leads me appreciate life—big, awesome, wonderful life—which I think is what Jesus always wants for us.
PRAYER: Lord, be it with nightlights or something else that glows, keep leading us with light that leads to life—specifically the joys in life. Like black labs. Amen.
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