Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It’s easy to be light – in light places.
It’s easy to love – in places already filled with love.
But what happens when we are put in places – in time and space, within systems, institutions and relationships – where light and love are absent, or at best a small fraction of what they should be.
How can we work towards making the world, especially in the different communities we find ourselves on a regular basis, to be more filled with the kind of light and love reflected in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
It’s not easy. In fact, it seems to go against most everything we encounter within the world – and within ourselves. Instead, we are tempted to fight fire with fire, return hatred with hatred, and seek an eye for eye, and tit for tat. We feel compelled to make our way in the world through the same kinds of ugliness that we see having the most impact.
And yet, if we want to see change in our world we need to be willing to live that change.
But there’s something so unnerving about choosing (what feels like) a position of weakness, of vulnerability, of humility, of submission. Anything that feels like giving up any perceived “power” we think we have – especially within the midst of a struggle – seems like a foolish thing to do.
We feel that tension.
We live that tension everyday.
And live in the tension we must.
As long as there is hatred, oppression, inequality, and injustice in the world we must strive for a better way. We must work together – with God and with others of similar heart and mind – to exemplify the kind of change in the world we wish to see.
This idea of being light and love in the world is not new. It’s just that there are so very few people who are willing to live out this radical way of life, that when they do, it proves jarring to the system.
Jesus said,
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. ~ John 8:12
He also said,
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another ~ John 13:34-35
Jesus invites us into a way of life that serves to usher in God’s Kingdom – with light and love.
As we do, God uses our lives to bring about extraordinary change.
And the beginning of new seasons.
Often we are unable to see the fruit of the seeds that we sow – but the world reaps the bounty of our labor – at some point.
And it is good.
