One of the lists I subscribe to on the Internet is the Daily Dig , from the Bruderhof communities. It offers a thought-provoking quote every day and most of them are incredible. I got this one today. Can you imagine Plato sharing something so brilliant?
Afraid of the Light?
Plato
One can easily understand a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when grown men and women are
afraid of the light.
As I read that this morning, I thought back through the Gospels and how many people came face to face with the light of God in the glory of the Son. some embraced that light and all it would reveal in them. Others stole back into the shadows not willing to see God for who he really is, nor to comprehend his work in them. The Pharisees refused to answer Jesus’ question about John’s authority because they were unwilling to face the anger of the crowd. Yet, Zaccheus embraced it even when his thievery would be clear to all.
Isn’t it incredibly odd that we find more comfort in the dark, where our illusions can live, rather than love the light and whatever it might reveal? I even think many theological arguments are ways to spin the darkness rather than come face to face with God. But when this God is your loving father, there is nothing left to fear, even our temptations and failures.
The test of discipleship is not how much we can keep up with all the disciplines nor all that we think we can do for God. The real test of discipleship is loving the light enough to keep crawling into it against our inclination to retreat back into the fake safety of the darkness.
