History tells us American patriot Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) had a bright idea. He was the first one to suggest adding streetlights to the streets of Philadelphia for security. That makes sense in our time, but not so in his time.His suggestion met some resistance, so heinstalled a streetlight in front of his home at his own expense. Soon the walking traffic in front of his home increased because people felt safer. Suddenly, it became the fashionable thing to do. Within a short time, streetlights began to pop-up all over Philadelphia. It has always been true. Light adds to personal security. That takes us to our scripture reading.
We find ourselves in Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians. He wrote it approximately the year 60 AD. The Christian congregation in Ephesus, located in present day Turkey, was unique. Paul did not write to them to correct a problem. There is no sign of heresy or internal conflict. Instead, Paul is writing them a word of encouragement. He is challenging them to strive for perfection. Our reading, Ephesians 5:8-14, is part of a larger section that deals with practical ways the church can fulfill God’s purpose. He is using the word light to symbolize Jesus. Remember, Jesus is the light of the world. That means we are children of the light. That means two things. First, we are to live in a way that pleases God. Second, we are to stay away from the darkness of this world. That is not easy to do because our world has many dark places. Darkness grabbed my attention in this blog. Let me look at two dark topics.
First, our world is filled with dark behavior. If you google the term dark behavior, you will find the term “dark triad,” which refers to a set of three personality traits that are negatively correlated with desirable personalities and behavior. These are the traits found in the dark triad:
Narcissism – A narcissist has an inflated sense of self-importance, a strong need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. In other words, they have a grandiose view of themselves. King Henry VIII (1491-1547), Adolph Hitler (1889-1945), and Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) were narcissists.
Machiavellianism – A person with Machiavellianism manipulates and exploits the relationships in their lives. They often prioritize personal gain and disregard social norms. They are cunning in trying to achieve their personal goals. Many believe Vladimir Putin (born 1952) has Machiavellianism.
Psychopathy – A psychopath lacks empathy, may be manipulative and engage in antisocial behavior, including criminal behavior. Ted Bundy (1946-1989), Jeffrey Dahmer (196—1994) and Charles Manson (1934-1917) were psychopaths.
The Christian faith rejects these behaviors because the church follows the example and teaching of Jesus, who was preoccupied with the needs of others. He died for others to meet their greatest spiritual need – salvation. The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its nonmembers. Dark behaviors, rooted in selfishness, cannot be tolerated within the life of the church. Sadly, our world is filled with dark behavior. Our world needs more light. Our world needs more of Jesus.
Second, our world is filled with dark beliefs. If you google the term dark beliefs this is the list, you find:
Religious Extremism – Some call this “Dark Religion.” It can manifest itself in various ways, including the denial of scientific knowledge, justifying discrimination against various groups, violence in the name of religion, and using religion to control others. Christians are not called to judge others; they are called to love others.
Hate Speech and Discrimination – This includes the targeting of individuals or groups, based on race, religion, sexuality orientation, gender or other characteristics, which can lead to violence or persecution.
Conspiracy Theories – This group believes unknown individuals or groups are controlling events, which justifies discrimination. No one and no organization can be trusted.
Anti-Intellectualism – This group rejects education, scientific knowledge and critical thinking, leading to misinformation and harmful beliefs.
During my academic years, I claimed Romans 5:1, Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, as my own. It reminded me that God wanted me to reach my full potential, well rounded. The same thing is true of you. God wants you to reach your full potential, well rounded. God wants you to decide to follow Jesus well informed. Have you reached your full potential? Are you well rounded? There is a surplus of dark behavior and beliefs in our world. Our world needs more light. Our world needs more of Jesus.
In 2013, New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31. However, what I remember most about the game was the power outage. The game was paused for 34 minutes. The blackout was a serious matter. At the time, some said the city of New Orleans will never host a Super Bowl again. (However, New Orleans hosted this year’s Super Bowl.) Finger pointing was rampant. With all the things that were reported about the blackout, I remember one story clearly.
They interviewed three young women who went to the game. They were in a section of the stadium that grew dark. The interviewer asked them what they did. This is what they said. First, they tried to stay calm. Second, they left their seats and headed toward an exit. However, they didn’t exit the stadium. They only stood near the exit. One of the women said, “We stood near the exit and looked out into the streets. We saw a light and decided to run toward the light if something went wrong.”
Have you ever run toward the light when something went wrong? Ben Franklin was right! Light offers security! However, what happens if the light goes out? Our generation has been entrusted with the light. We can’t let it go out! We are disciples of Jesus Christ. We understand Jesus is the light of the world and we understand it is our job to reflect that light. If the light goes out, then we will be consumed by complete darkness. I hope that will never happen. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) once said, “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” I choose to walk in the light.
History tells us American patriot Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) had a bright idea. He was the first one to suggest adding streetlights to the streets of Philadelphia for security. That makes sense in our time, but not so in his time.His suggestion met some resistance, so heinstalled a streetlight in front of his home at his own expense. Soon the walking traffic in front of his home increased because people felt safer. Suddenly, it became the fashionable thing to do. Within a short time, streetlights began to pop-up all over Philadelphia. It has always been true. Light adds to personal security. That takes us to our scripture reading.
We find ourselves in Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians. He wrote it approximately the year 60 AD. The Christian congregation in Ephesus, located in present day Turkey, was unique. Paul did not write to them to correct a problem. There is no sign of heresy or internal conflict. Instead, Paul is writing them a word of encouragement. He is challenging them to strive for perfection. Our reading, Ephesians 5:8-14, is part of a larger section that deals with practical ways the church can fulfill God’s purpose. He is using the word light to symbolize Jesus. Remember, Jesus is the light of the world. That means we are children of the light. That means two things. First, we are to live in a way that pleases God. Second, we are to stay away from the darkness of this world. That is not easy to do because our world has many dark places. Darkness grabbed my attention in this blog. Let me look at two dark topics.
First, our world is filled with dark behavior. If you google the term dark behavior, you will find the term “dark triad,” which refers to a set of three personality traits that are negatively correlated with desirable personalities and behavior. These are the traits found in the dark triad:
Narcissism – A narcissist has an inflated sense of self-importance, a strong need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. In other words, they have a grandiose view of themselves. King Henry VIII (1491-1547), Adolph Hitler (1889-1945), and Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) were narcissists.
Machiavellianism – A person with Machiavellianism manipulates and exploits the relationships in their lives. They often prioritize personal gain and disregard social norms. They are cunning in trying to achieve their personal goals. Many believe Vladimir Putin (born 1952) has Machiavellianism.
Psychopathy – A psychopath lacks empathy, may be manipulative and engage in antisocial behavior, including criminal behavior. Ted Bundy (1946-1989), Jeffrey Dahmer (196—1994) and Charles Manson (1934-1917) were psychopaths.
The Christian faith rejects these behaviors because the church follows the example and teaching of Jesus, who was preoccupied with the needs of others. He died for others to meet their greatest spiritual need – salvation. The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its nonmembers. Dark behaviors, rooted in selfishness, cannot be tolerated within the life of the church. Sadly, our world is filled with dark behavior. Our world needs more light. Our world needs more of Jesus.
Second, our world is filled with dark beliefs. If you google the term dark beliefs this is the list, you find:
Religious Extremism – Some call this “Dark Religion.” It can manifest itself in various ways, including the denial of scientific knowledge, justifying discrimination against various groups, violence in the name of religion, and using religion to control others. Christians are not called to judge others; they are called to love others.
Hate Speech and Discrimination – This includes the targeting of individuals or groups, based on race, religion, sexuality orientation, gender or other characteristics, which can lead to violence or persecution.
Conspiracy Theories – This group believes unknown individuals or groups are controlling events, which justifies discrimination. No one and no organization can be trusted.
Anti-Intellectualism – This group rejects education, scientific knowledge and critical thinking, leading to misinformation and harmful beliefs.
During my academic years, I claimed Romans 5:1, Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, as my own. It reminded me that God wanted me to reach my full potential, well rounded. The same thing is true of you. God wants you to reach your full potential, well rounded. God wants you to decide to follow Jesus well informed. Have you reached your full potential? Are you well rounded? There is a surplus of dark behavior and beliefs in our world. Our world needs more light. Our world needs more of Jesus.
In 2013, New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31. However, what I remember most about the game was the power outage. The game was paused for 34 minutes. The blackout was a serious matter. At the time, some said the city of New Orleans will never host a Super Bowl again. (However, New Orleans hosted this year’s Super Bowl.) Finger pointing was rampant. With all the things that were reported about the blackout, I remember one story clearly.
They interviewed three young women who went to the game. They were in a section of the stadium that grew dark. The interviewer asked them what they did. This is what they said. First, they tried to stay calm. Second, they left their seats and headed toward an exit. However, they didn’t exit the stadium. They only stood near the exit. One of the women said, “We stood near the exit and looked out into the streets. We saw a light and decided to run toward the light if something went wrong.”
Have you ever run toward the light when something went wrong? Ben Franklin was right! Light offers security! However, what happens if the light goes out? Our generation has been entrusted with the light. We can’t let it go out! We are disciples of Jesus Christ. We understand Jesus is the light of the world and we understand it is our job to reflect that light. If the light goes out, then we will be consumed by complete darkness. I hope that will never happen. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) once said, “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” I choose to walk in the light.
Russ Adams 