Who shall switch on the light when we all sit in dark rooms?
+About being Sons [and Daughters] of light
It is clear that when you are in a dark room the light is not on. Say, yourself and a few others had been sitting in said dark room for hours because the electricity went out a while ago. The others are all scrambling in the dark for the light switch. You, however, are paralysed by the fear of the unknown lurking in the darkness and so don’t search with the others and remain sitting in your seat. An additional 5 hours pass and the searchers begin to quarrel with one another leading to heated extremes, some of which result of them even harming themselves.
This is what the darkness does. It is where confusion strikes and eventually creeps in Evil.
The searchers start to view one another with contempt and suddenly someone begins stabbing in the dark. Yes, they think it best to try and attack the opaque unknown before it attacks them. But it has already attacked them from the inside. Devastatingly, a casualty takes place. And you continue to sit.
They settle their disputes for a while. A small silence festers after. They gather together only to feed on the remains of the lifeless in their midst because they still have to survive. Even in the dark. Though the smell repulses you, your body remains fixed to your position. You starve whilst they feast and it still doesn’t move you to action.
Another silence falls in the aftermath of their terror, and so you begin contemplating in your mind why it is that you hadn’t followed them to search for the light; why you didn’t feel tempted to also indulge in the destruction of your fellow roommates. And then you begin to see shapes in the dark. You’re surprised at how transparent your sight is becoming in the darkness. Then your legs feel ready to move. You peel yourself from the chair and turn around to see the light switch right behind you on the wall.
The rooms which we inhabit as children of Christ should never be dark. Or at least not for long. We are letting people die, and backbite, and destroy one another by not turning on the light. But the light also lives within us. Jesus calls us ‘sons [and daughters] of light’. To elucidate, He says that ‘While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’1.
We also let the fear of the unknown consume us and cause us to be stagnant. Jesus is saying to us all today that we need to get up. We are blocking the light and it is breaking His heart. The Spirit led me to title this newsletter ‘labouring’ because we must get into the habit of doing. Moving, advocating, speaking, nursing.
Why do we like sitting in a dark room? I am asking this question to the very few, they know who they are. I believe it’s because the light can overwhelm us. The sheer brightness of it feels as though we are being blinded. But it is conviction, dear reader, it is cleansing.
For instance, transitioning from a usual attire of dirty clothing to suddenly wearing the most luxe and glamorous clothing will cause many to stare and watch you. An attention you are not at all used to after being a background character for so long in your own life. Being light is being centre stage, but it's also not being there alone. Jesus is with you. You see how all the person in the dark room needed to do was get up, then the light would go on and instantly bring the room into clarity! One day the Holy Spirit gave me such a profound analogy about us + light + Jesus. He said that God is the light and we are the lamp shade, we simply help manoeuvre His light to where it is needs to go.
Jesus is the light and you could say we are the switch.
We won’t let His glory shine before men2 if we don’t move.
The harvest is full of bodies scrambling in the dark. Turn the Light on.
John 12:36
Matthew 5:16
Hi reader, firstly, Happy-flippin-New Year, I am so excited to be publishing again!! I didn’t want to write anything sappy or overly preachy about the new year or new beginnings because I am aware that our social media timelines are currently working overtime in this arena already and this piece was just begging to be posted. What I love about it is its ability to be read on the first, the second, the 150th or even the 364th day of the year and still be absolutely serviceable. This year I am getting up from my own seat and killing the illusionary comfort that is oft found in the dark and dormant places. I simply desire to write to you, reader, no strings attached. Thank you again to all who subscribe, beginning, present and future.
Please interact!! I want to learn and read and hear from you all too.
The schedule for 2025: FIRST and LAST Sunday of each month.
God bless you, truly.
-Sarah J
(Pssst! Don’t forget I have a second newsletter here. If you, or anyone you know, is a media and culture fiend this is the place to be! First post is this coming Tuesday/01/25 :)