How should Christ-followers respond to tragedies like the one that recently occurred in Connecticut? What should be our response to a world that continually bears the scars of spiritual darkness?
James Kelly once said, “I would rather light a candle than curse the darkness.”
There are some among us who have chosen to curse the darkness. That’s easy to do. One doesn’t need to look far to see the evidence of society’s moral slide. We have lived in the mud for so long that we no longer see the tracks.
It’s easy to blame “them.” Some of the purveyors of moral sludge are obvious targets and easily lend themselves to attack. So, some choose to whine, complain, argue, boycott, or fight against the darkness.
For a moment, it may make them feel better. But does it make the world a better place?
I’m not convinced that it does.
Only light will dispel the darkness. Darkness is not defeated by debate but by illumination. The best response is an enlightened one, in the truest sense of that word.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:3).
When you light a candle, you are providing hope. When you light a candle, you are offering a way out of the darkness. When you light a candle, you are offering a helping hand as opposed to a clenched fist.
The next time you feel tempted to curse the darkness, ask yourself this question: Have I lit any candles recently?