In the Dark

Just now I had a little bicker with my sister. When I retreated to my room to play the piano, she got really annoyed that I was playing past 9 o’clock. So she stormed in, pushed me, headed out, turned off the lights and slammed the door shut. For a brief moment I was left in the dark. I was very annoyed, angry, and then for some reason, afraid. It’s that sudden sinking feeling in your heart that you get when someone plays a nasty trick on you, and leaves you in the dark alone.

It is a horrible feeling. It was a small incident, but when I reflected on it, I found a metaphorical parallel to what must be the experience of countless individuals and abandoned children out there who have had the door slammed shut in their faces; who have been left in the dark – alone, cold and fearful. It is a terrible situation to be in.

I have never been abandoned, so I’ll never know. All I can imagine is that it must be a gazillion times worse than what I felt when my sister pulled that surprise on me and left me momentarily stunned in the dark.

I feel terrible and sick to the stomach thinking about the millions of kids out there who have been orphaned, betrayed by their parents, and left in the darkness to fend for themselves, whether literally or figuratively. No one likes being left in the dark. And you don’t know what to do.

Jesus told his disciples, ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand so that it gives light to everyone in the house.’ Matthew 5

The world lives in darkness because man has chosen to stay in the dark and turn away from God. But those who choose to embrace the light will see the truth and find hope at once! Then again, there are those who had the doors slammed shut on them. They had no choice. They never had the chance to see the light, nor hear the truth, or receive love and hope. How can that be?

Those of us who have embraced the light (if we truly have), should not have our lamps hidden under a bowl! We should shine like a city on a hill, like a lamp on its stand, so that everyone in darkness will see by this light. Do not be afraid to shine. There are many who hate the light because it exposes the things they do in the dark. But there are plenty more who need the light, and who do not yet know it until its brilliance is revealed!

The light should never be intimidated by the darkness. Because no matter how black the darkness is, the light will still glow, even if it is a flicker. It will ignite warmth and hope in the hearts of those who have been abandoned, disillusioned, and left to rot in the dark. Do not hide your light! The world needs it. The world who does not know that it is in the darkness until it sees the light.