“Go down to the Franklin Street intersection and note the item of religious significance.” This was the last question on my first college religion final exam. Many of us stood there, open blue books in hand, looking all over the intersection trying to find something of religious significance. I was the last to give up and returned to the classroom as the professor was collecting the blue books. I told him I was stumped and asked what the answer was. “The sign of course,” he said, “Walk with light.” Scripture is full of language about light and darkness. One of my favorites is the prologue to John’s Gospel. John 1: 1-4:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

I was reminded of that light last week as the sun woke me two hours early each morning. That light gave me extra time to talk with two of the lights of my life each morning: God and Annie. Those talks got me through a mild earthquake, a fall from a high Japanese tub, and two days of simultaneous translation.

There are many opportunities for the darkness today, including war, poverty, racism, sexism, cultural intolerance and a very divisive election. Even the ongoing changes at JOY can provide an opportunity for the darkness to divide us. God calls on us to encourage one another and build each other up. God asks us to remain in the light and to be the light for one another. JOY’s Purpose Statement and Guiding Principles reinforce the light, reminding us to share God’s love, love others as God loves us, provide compassionate service and remain a positive influence on all.

Read 1 John 2: 7-11, and remember: God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY!

Mike

Today’s reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+2%3A+7-11&version=NRSV