minds full of darkness

Today Paul warns us what to expect from the world in our reading from the One Year Bible. The selection is from Ephesians 4:17-32. Paul says not to be like the gentiles whose minds were full of confusion and darkness.

When we interact with the people of this age... those who aren't Christians, who haven't found God and are trying to live their lives without Him... we have to remember that they're not going to act kindly toward us. They won't be patient or gentle or loving. They're going to be rude and angry and short tempered and offensive. This is what we should EXPECT from them.

Why? Because they're cut off from the source of goodness. They, often through no fault of their own, have found themselves in a place where they don't have a connection with the never ending font of all that is good. So we should expect them to act like it. We should expect them to behave badly.

But we ARE connected to that source of goodness. So it's our job to share that goodness into their lives. To shine the light He gives us into their darkness. To be kind and patient, loving and gentle toward them. Sometimes they'll just scream in your face and make fun of you and ridicule you.

But sometimes... every once in a while... you see a change. Someone responds to the light you shine. And that every once in a while is worth all of the bad replies. When you see that one turn away from their darkness, and come into the light... it makes all the difference.

God, thanks for shining Your light into our lives. Help us share it.