Bearing Light into Darkness

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

God’s children cannot sit by in the face of sin and wickedness do nothing about it.

Today’s devotional reading: Philippians 2:12-16

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said to His disciples, “You are the light of the world.” He then instructed His disciples, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:14,16).”

Light is a revealer as it reveals that which darkness hides. Our world is a sinful world that, rather than trying to hide its sin, it attempts to normalize and justify sin. It has normalized sexual immorality to the point where we think so little of how we degrade ourselves, sexually. It is putting forth its best effort to re-normalize the dehumanization of others because of their skin color, the language they speak, or their nationality.

As a child of God, the evil that is only full display today ought to disgust you. Not only should it disgust you, but you ought to feel compelled to rebuke it. We ought not be keeping silent in a time like now; the church cannot stand by in silence, as silence is complicity.

Paul told Timothy, “Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables (2 Tim. 4:2-3).”

God’s children cannot stand by silently while those around us are being consumed by darkness. Rebuke with God’s word and stand in God’s truth, moving faithfully and in obedience to His way.