Bright Light

I have never been a fan of big, overhead lights. I prefer to use strategically placed lamps instead of a

light that fills the room. My office at Mainland was referred to as "The Cave" due to its dark wood paneling (hello 1970's construction) and the dim light source from three lamps. My subsequent church offices very rarely had the overhead lights on, but instead relied on natural light and other smaller sources. 

While my desire for limited light is a personal physical environment preference, it can be much more dangerous when it spills over into my spiritual life. Here the danger is found in what the darkness is hiding. It's easy for us to keep things in the dark corners of our life that we don't want anyone else to see. It's a reflection of hidden sin--the things we're afraid someone will find out, the behaviors and decisions that cause us shame, and the parts of who we are that we simply don't want to address. As long as we keep those parts secluded from the rest of our life, we can operate as if nothing is wrong. Dimly lit rooms hide dirt in their corners--illuminating them reveals the need for cleansing and starts the hard work of making it right again. Once this process is started it's much easier to keep the lights on to help us make sure they don't get that dirty again. Our eyes need to adjust once we walk from darkness into light, but once they do we are able to see more clearly. It might be difficult, but it's the only way to live that honors God.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:20-21 ESV)