I printed out part of a blog post last summer during all the political posturing and taped it next to the blue chair where I do much of my journaling. It reads, in part: “I think I would like, from this day forward, at least through November, to make this a safe space, where the theme is first and foremost, ‘Let’s love, neighbor, and pursue whatever is lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy in a spirit of joy, peace, kindness and all those other fruits.’”
“All those other fruits” include love, of course, and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. “Against such things there is no law.”
I don’t know when darkness settled over the land. Come to think of it, the darkness has probably always been there. It’s just part of human nature, this constant struggle between light and dark. But if the darkness has always been there, then so has the light. It sometimes takes a supernatural effort to overcome the darkness in our souls. If that’s so, then perhaps a supernatural effort is also being made to try to overcome the light.
Which side is the light? Is it really so hard to tell? Perhaps things are that murky in the dark corridors of politics where even “whatever is true” is open to debate. But out here in the vivid light — where it all is as simple as “Love God and love your neighbors” with the further explanation that you will never meet a human who is not your neighbor, because the Author explained further that He also meant “love your enemies” — there is no debate.
Love the forces of darkness? I’m pretty sure the imperative is to love your neighbors, and we are all neighbors, so yes, the aim is to love the forces of darkness — not love the darkness, love those who advance the cause of darkness, because you will never turn them to the light by hating them. Hate is a tool of the dark.
They are called fruits of the spirit, so we become capable of them by welcoming the spirit into our heart and soul. That is the supernatural act that defeats the darkness.
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Here is episode 12 of the “See the World! Podcast,” daily readings from my forthcoming book See the World! It’s scheduled for release June 10 and available for pre-order by clicking the book’s title.
