Day 089: Strengthening Light

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Ephesians 4:11-13

Here's one of the most, if not most, popular verse in the bible.  I find that it is much more powerful when taken in the context of the letter Paul is writing.

Despite the fact that there are many things that I do not agree with that Paul writes, I still think that there are many things that he admonishes us to do.  In fact, when taking all the things he encourages (or commands) together, they seem to make up a large code of law not unlike that of the Old Covenant.  There are so many different things to keep track of, but they are all for our own betterment.  Many of the things he says are ones for us to live better with those around us, in order to strengthen our communities.  Still, though, they sound overbearing.

However, at the end of all these sorts of things, we read Paul, who says that he has accomplished many of these things.  Unlike a person wanting to boast about his own prowess, Paul actually teaches us why he is able to accomplish all of these things: Christ.

Jesus is walking all around us, following and reaching out to us.  Jesus is not following us so that he can push us down.  He didn't come into the world just to judge and condemn it.  We already have enough of that coming from our humankind.  Instead, Jesus came so that we all can be strengthened.  We have to face many challenges, and we all want to be the light for others to see, but the only way we can do that is by receiving the light in the first place.  I think of lighting candles.  A room can be full of candles, but without a lighting source, they will just stay there, filled with so much potential, but left completely still.  It is when we receive the light of Christ that we can shine and light others around us.

Jesus is right there with us, everywhere we go.  We just need to receive him as he receives us.