Sunday July 8, 2007 | Greg Boyd
“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Those who have will be given more; as for those who do not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.” Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.”
What is the difference between a vampire and Jesus? This may sound like a rather odd question to ask, but you may be surprised at the profound difference between the two. A vampire is known for two things: it loves to dwell in darkness and feeds off of people. Jesus is known for two things: he lives in light and sacrificially gives of himself in love for all.
What is the difference between a vampire and Jesus? This may sound like a rather odd question to ask, but you may be surprised at the profound difference between the two. A vampire is known for two things: it loves to dwell in darkness and feeds off of people. Jesus is known for two things: he lives in light and sacrificially gives of himself in love for all.
We live in a world that is full of darkness that sucks the very life from us. Like a vampire, we try to get life from a multitude of sources, but they just leave us perpetually hungry; wanting more, but never satisfied. However, Jesus came to give us abundant life, shining light in the midst of our darkness (2 Corinthians 4:6).
We were created for life from God. All of our worth, value and love comes from Him. As a result, we do not have to continue living in darkness, and feeding off of others and things. Jesus tells us to feed off of him for life (John 6:53-54).
As we live for Jesus, the light of his truth begins to be revealed in us. Jesus commands us to not hide this light but to let it shine in every area of our lives, so that others may see. It doesn’t matter how much light you start with. What matters is what you do with the light you have. The more that you let it shine, the more light you have. But if you hide it, you’ll lose it (see Jesus’ parable of the Talents in Matthew 25).
To walk in light is to walk in truth about who you are and about who God made you to be. Living in God’s truth can often be messy and difficult. It means being truthful and honest about the dark places in our lives, and committing to let Jesus bring healing and growth to these areas.