Enlightenment

As I was writing yesterday’s post and quoting Neil Peart again, I started thinking about the rest of the lyric to that song, “Turn the Page”. The last verse says,
Truth is after all, a moving target – hairs to split and pieces that won’t fit – How can anybody be enlightened?- the Truth is after all, so poorly lit.
It used to sadden me that someone would think that the Truth is so poorly lit, then I realized who it is that is responsible for lighting the Truth. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world, a city on hill cannot be hidden”. We are to give light to all who are in the house. If our lives are based in the Truth, then our light will point to the Truth.
I’m sorry to stay on my soap box so much, but our Christian sub-culture, at least here in America, has long since hidden our light under a bucket. The bucket serves to protect us as we shine our lights on one another.
We’ve come to believe that shining light before men means condemning everything that they do; and standing up for our faith means lobbying lawmakers and signing petitions that seek to legislate morality. Our focus is on others’ behavior and it’s effect on us rather than their hearts and our effect on them. Are we known for our good deeds or for our speaking condemnation over the culture? Again, I’m reminded of what my 9 year-old said in his “Weekend” newspaper bit, “… if you do good other people will see you and start doing good too.”
“Let your lights so shine before men so that they might see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”