“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:4-5
Some buses in D.C., now carrying ads paid for by some atheist group, which read “Why believe in a god? Be good for goodness sake,” are causing a lot of angst and anger among Christians. Metro is getting a load of complaints about them. My own reaction was that I don’t believe in a god – I believe in THE God, and therein is a big, big difference.
I find myself more bemused and a little sad by the ads than upset or angered by them. I wonder why people, who would be resentful and angry if I tried to convert them to Christianity, think it’s o.k. to belittle my faith and try to turn me (and others) away from it. I suspect the timing of these ads as we enter the Advent season was probably deliberate, and I wonder why. The group claims that its numbers have grown since the ad has appeared, but I wonder how many others have been reminded of their own faith, which they have perhaps been neglecting. As I consider the ad, I wonder who those sponsoring it thank at Thanksgiving, and what they celebrate (other than perhaps a day off from work) at Christmas. I, for one, have been so blessed by God in so many ways that if I were to write it all down to itemize for Thanksgiving, the list would run for pages. I enjoy the gifts I give and those I receive each Christmas, but I know that all of them put together could never equal the gift that Christmas celebrates – Jesus coming into the world in human form and offering himself up as a sacrifice for our (my) benefit.
I celebrate the light. Too often (and I include myself here) as we enjoy the lights of Christmas decorations, we forget what they represent. We get so caught up and busy preparing to celebrate that we forget why we’re celebrating. I’ll be flying cross-country on Christmas day this year, and my family will celebrate Christmas late, once we’re all together. That’s o.k.; I don’t care what day we celebrate – whatever day it is, I’ll celebrate that He was born.
I celebrate the light. I’ve read that there really isn’t dark – dark is simply the absence of light. Evil is the absence of goodness. The Bible says that those who walk in darkness embrace the darkness and hate the light. So, as those who walk in darkness attempt to belittle those of us who walk in the light, I’m sad – for them – and not upset by them. I know that the darkness is incapable of overcoming the light. And I’m both awestruck and humbled by the sure knowledge that whatever happens in life, I have been brought out from the darkness.
A quote I got in an e-mail today is appropriate:
“I was homeless, hopeless, and nameless. Then God came to me and took me in, and adopted me as His son.”Steven Curtis Chapman
How very wonderful that we not only have been adopted into God’s family, we get to walk with the Light and never need to fear the darkness.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for sending us The Light of the World. I thank you that I can walk in the light and am no longer in darkness. As the praise song says “You stepped out of the darkness; opened my eyes, let me see,” and I thank you for that. Help me to be good – not merely for goodness sake, but out of appreciation and love for you.
~ Emily Montfort ~
This was great – thank you, Emily – I’m so thankful for THIS.
Hi Emily,
How wonderful to see your writing – I will check in frequently. Thank you for sharing with us. I love that you are not threatened by those ads – why should we be? Look who we worship!!
Krista Brumberg Stevens