Light--Catching Fire!!!

This blog was birthed after a conversation regarding the movie Catching Fire. I will say that when I first read the book The Hunger Games, I, too, was appalled by the thought of teens killing teens. I had read the book because the librarian gave it to my 11-year-old daughter to read I was monitoring her reading. That was five years ago when the book first came out. Since then our society has seen a serious decline in morality with reports of teenagers killing or violently attacking random victims of any age for sport—the knockoutgame, a child killed in his stroller after the teens robbed his mother, a college student shot in the back because teenagers were bored, and many more.

 

 

 

I had taken my, now, 16-year-old daughter to see Catching Fire and I posted on Facebook what a good movie it was. I expressing that Catching Fire opened the door for my daughter and I have a discussion about teen violence in the world around us and that it only takes one determined to do the right thing to turn everything around. The conversation grew until there were about three or four parents on each side of the issue. I was, at one point, accused of allowing Hollywood to teach my daughter morals. One, I didn't use the movie to SKIRT my responsibility of teaching my daughter, but rather as a tool to ASSIST me. Two, I'm not talking about an 11-year-old. She's 16! She has the basics down by now.

 

Other parents in the discussion brought up Phil 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." I think, too often, some Christians use this verse as an excuse to hide away in a little bubble while ignoring the world around them. It's easier to just surround themselves with people who think like they do and turn a blind eye to the violence that is on the rise.

 

That lead me to Matt 5:14-15 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house."

 

Light is such an interesting thing. Many people have never experienced utter darkness—the can't-see-your-hand-right-in-front-of-your-face kind of darkness. I have a few times when visiting Ruby Falls and Mammoth Cave. For some reason they always find it necessary to turn the lights off for a minute. It's powerful, and scary! This is the kind of darkness that those in hell will experience (referred to as "outer darkness" in Matt 8:12, 22:13, and 25:30).

The darkness in your bedroom, which isn't as dark as utter (outer) darkness even if you have it as dark as possible, is comforting. We find peace in that darkness because we find rest there. When someone suddenly flips the light on, our first reaction is to cover our eyes and then yell at the person who invaded our resting place. It literally hurts our eyes!

When the sun is beating in your bedroom window and someone flips the light on you barely notice, if you notice at all. Maybe it was the sound of the light switch more than the actual light that alerted you to the fact that the light has been turned on. The dome light in your car comes on when you open the door whether it's daytime or nighttime, yet you only notice it at night. My point is this, you must have darkness for the light to make a difference and the darker it is, the more impact the light will have. An interesting observation however, is that darkness NEVER overpowers light, but light ALWAYS overpowers darkness. The dark doesn't even try to “fight” back. It just submits to the light.

 

The Bible refers to sin as darkness and Jesus as light (Job 12:22 and Luke 2:32). The sin in this world is similar to the darkness in your bedroom. You can see a little light here and there, but the darkness is pretty overwhelming until your eyes adjust to it. Once you adjust and get comfortable, the sudden shedding of light is an assault and your first reaction is to cover your eyes, to remain in the darkness. Sometimes, even yelling at the person who revealed the light. It invades our resting place. It hurts at first, but you will eventually adjust to it, if you are willing to pull your hand off of your eyes. However, if you are sitting in your bubble with no one around you except other light-bearers, your light is useless.

 

Christians are not the light. We are merely bearers of the Light. John 1:8 "John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light." Jesus is the Light. We live in a dark world and it is getting darker. It is our responsibility, as bearers of the Light, to let our lights shine! As we expose sin, people may get mad at us as they cover their eyes to it and try to hide from light. There may be consequences for speaking the Truth of God's Word in this dark world. People may curse at us, ostracize us, cancel business contracts with us, etc but we are called to be the light anyway. If you keep your light to yourself, however, not only are you useless, but the dark, sinful people will still call you names, like arrogant, holier-than-thou, Bible-thumpers.

 

If I'm going to be called names and persecuted anyway, I figure I might as well make as much of an impact for Christ and shine the Light in love to as many as possible. At least then my persecution won't be in vain!