Wednesday | Week 8

In John 8 and 9, light and seeing are central. Jesus proclaims, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). He talks about truth in terms of light: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). In chapter 9, Jesus gives a man light—the ability to see. To know Jesus is to experience light shining in darkness. 

Think about times when light has been helpful. Maybe you’ve been walking through a dark house at night. If you have kids, then the darkness brings with it the fear of loose LEGO! How do you move? You feel for the wall; you put each foot forward slowly. Then, you finally reach a light switch. Now you can see. What a relief! You can move faster and avoid any obstacles. Light is a gift.

But think about times when darkness has seemed helpful. Have you ever looked in a mirror in a dimly lit room? Your skin might look pure, your teeth look white. But then, you turn up the brighter lights. All of a sudden, your skin shows its blemishes, your teeth look less white than before. Or perhaps you’ve had times where you use darkness to your advantage. Friends are coming over, and with time running out on your cleaning, you quickly shove everything into the dark spaces—into closets, under beds, into cabinets. The house looks clean, but the mess really is just hidden well, in darkness.

Jesus comes to us as the light of the world. Take time to consider how God speaks through Jesus to guide us in living lives of meaning and fullness. Think also of how we often use darkness to hide chaos. What have you “shoved into the closet,” so to speak? What needs to be brought into the light? The light can be painful, but it ultimately brings healing. Jesus, the Divine Healer, wants to heal us. But before he can, we have to bring everything into the light.