Into the Light

Yesterday I confronted a ten-year-old boy with his shameful, sexual sin. It was an unpleasant task. Even though I tried to be tactful and gentle, he reacted with embarrassment, defensiveness, and anger. Who wouldn’t?

He would have preferred I ignore his sin – pretend it wasn’t so. Keep it secret. Darkness hides our sin. And why would we want to hide our sin? The answer is obvious. Shame. We feel embarrassed that anyone would know our sin. Or we might love our sin and fear that someone will place boundaries on it. Then we get angry. We forget the enemy wants to destroy us and uses our sin to do so.

But the Apostle Paul tells the Ephesians, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11, ESV) In other words, shine a light on it! 

From my experience as a Social Worker, I know that men and women who have been abused rarely find healing until they share their experiences with someone they trust. Uncovering the hurt and betrayal – no longer keeping the secret – dispels the darkness propagated by someone else’s sin.

Paul also says, “The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.”

(Romans 13:12-13, ESV)

The “armor of light” is our defense against darkness in that it illuminates what we might stumble over. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV) God’s Word shows us how to walk in the light, but we won’t see it if we don’t “turn on the lamp.”

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world.” He is the epitome of light overcoming darkness. Without His power, we overcome nothing. That’s why we put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Daily submit to His authority and ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and see if that doesn’t change your life.

James tells us to confess our sins to one another that we might be healed. (James 5:16) There’s great freedom in walking around in the light. Constantly worrying about our sins being exposed takes a great deal of energy. But the worry evaporates if we embrace the light by uncovering deeds done in darkness.

Confess it. Repent. Be free. Be healed.

Find joy.

joyce hague

P.S. I know it's not winter, but isn't the above picture cool?