When we talk about sin and all the things that go with it - pain, brokenness, hate - we often refer to these things as "darkness." They exist in contrast to Jesus, who is "Light," and all that He stood for - love, grace, mercy, and so on. So it makes sense that whatever isn't light is darkness, but the descriptor is more than that.
John, in his first letter, reminds us that these things are darkness not merely because they are opposed to the Light, but because they are the things that cause us to stumble. We stumble when we cannot see. We cannot see when we are in darkness.
That's what these things do to us. They keep us from seeing. And what they keep us from seeing is important.
They keep us from seeing where we are. We lose track of the opportunities right in front of us. We lose track of what we have at our disposal right now. We lose track of our resources, of our choices, of everything. We can't hold onto our story because it's gone black, it's gone blank. And if you don't know where you are, you're bound to trip over just about anything - even something that, if you could see it, you would think was good. We stumble around like fools, even in the midst of a field of God's blessing, because sin doesn't let us see where we are. It is darkness.
They keep us from seeing where we're going. We lose track of our hope. We lose track of God's promise. We lose track of everything we were working toward, the way that all the pieces in our life were coming together. Just at the moment that everything was starting to make sense, nothing does. We can't see where God is leading us, can't hear where He is calling us. We stumble around like fools, on a road paved with hope, because sin doesn't let us see where we're going. It is darkness.
They keep us from seeing others around us. Now, this works in two ways and means two different things. On the one hand, they keep us from seeing those who would journey with us. They keep us from seeing our friends and our family. They keep us from maintaining connection with those who are our strength, our companions. They make us feel isolated and alone. We stumble around like children lost in the woods, even though every "tree" we think we run into is a friend who stands ready to help, because sin doesn't let us see those around us. It is darkness.
And on the other hand, they keep us from seeing those we could journey with. They keep us from seeing the need in the world around us, the need that we are able to meet. They keep us from seeing how our story could be a blessing to someone around us. They whisper that we're unworthy, that we've messed everything up, that what we have to offer is nothing at all. We stumble around like fools, thinking we've wasted it all, because is doesn't let us see those around us. It is darkness.
Sin is darkness not just because it opposes the Light, but because it causes us to stumble. It prevents us from seeing, and it is this seeing that guides our path. We trip and tumble and struggle over and around everything, not knowing what anything is - not knowing who we are, not recognizing who God is - all because of sin. We stumble around like fools because sin doesn't let us see.
It is darkness.
John, in his first letter, reminds us that these things are darkness not merely because they are opposed to the Light, but because they are the things that cause us to stumble. We stumble when we cannot see. We cannot see when we are in darkness.
That's what these things do to us. They keep us from seeing. And what they keep us from seeing is important.
They keep us from seeing where we are. We lose track of the opportunities right in front of us. We lose track of what we have at our disposal right now. We lose track of our resources, of our choices, of everything. We can't hold onto our story because it's gone black, it's gone blank. And if you don't know where you are, you're bound to trip over just about anything - even something that, if you could see it, you would think was good. We stumble around like fools, even in the midst of a field of God's blessing, because sin doesn't let us see where we are. It is darkness.
They keep us from seeing where we're going. We lose track of our hope. We lose track of God's promise. We lose track of everything we were working toward, the way that all the pieces in our life were coming together. Just at the moment that everything was starting to make sense, nothing does. We can't see where God is leading us, can't hear where He is calling us. We stumble around like fools, on a road paved with hope, because sin doesn't let us see where we're going. It is darkness.
They keep us from seeing others around us. Now, this works in two ways and means two different things. On the one hand, they keep us from seeing those who would journey with us. They keep us from seeing our friends and our family. They keep us from maintaining connection with those who are our strength, our companions. They make us feel isolated and alone. We stumble around like children lost in the woods, even though every "tree" we think we run into is a friend who stands ready to help, because sin doesn't let us see those around us. It is darkness.
And on the other hand, they keep us from seeing those we could journey with. They keep us from seeing the need in the world around us, the need that we are able to meet. They keep us from seeing how our story could be a blessing to someone around us. They whisper that we're unworthy, that we've messed everything up, that what we have to offer is nothing at all. We stumble around like fools, thinking we've wasted it all, because is doesn't let us see those around us. It is darkness.
Sin is darkness not just because it opposes the Light, but because it causes us to stumble. It prevents us from seeing, and it is this seeing that guides our path. We trip and tumble and struggle over and around everything, not knowing what anything is - not knowing who we are, not recognizing who God is - all because of sin. We stumble around like fools because sin doesn't let us see.
It is darkness.
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