Brave Enough

Yes, I'm still re-reading Amanda Gorman's poem.  I think it's safe to  say that this is not the last post I'll write about it.

The first time I heard it, the lines that I had to write down - right that moment - and that I quoted on Facebook were:

For there is always light,

if only we're brave enough to see it.

If only we're brave enough to be it.

As followers of Christ, we know that there is always light.  And it is true, and part of our confession, that sometimes we do not see it, and sometimes we wait for someone else to be it.  True, isn't it?

Interesting to me the word she uses to describe our action in the lines - brave.  She calls for our bravery.  What does it mean to be brave enough to see the light?  To BE the light?

Christ knew we would be afraid.  And he cautioned us to not hide the light:

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 

(Matthew 5:14-16)

In John, in one of the I am statements, Jesus says he is the light of the world.  That helps me understand that the light inside of me is created by God.  The light that I need to be brave enough to share is God's light.  And Christ told us that the rule of life we must follow is to love God and to love our neighbor (I'm paraphrasing). 

So, we are called, aren't we, to be the light of love?  Are we brave enough to love?  Not just the family member, not just the friend, not just the people we like, but the people who don't love us back?

Next time, we'll talk about the hill we climb, and what that means to me.