Coming into the Light

“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3:20-21 NIV)

There is a latent trait in our human nature that leads us to do wrong even when we know there is a reasonable possibility we will be found out. So when we do, we live with the ever-present fear that our deeds will be discovered. When Eve and Adam disobeyed God’s command, they hid themselves from Him when they heard Him walking in the Garden of Eden.  Instinctively, they tried to cover up what they had done.

One can only imagine then the fear the clients of the Ashley Madison adulterous website lived with before and after their names were exposed publicly, or some of the employees of Volkswagen when, this week, the company was exposed to having used deceptive software to mimic clean emissions in their diesel cars. 

Fear and shame are the results of doing wrong.  That is why people try to hide or run.  This is why adulterers try to cover up their transgressions; why corrupt officials lie when first confronted with evidence of their misdeeds; and why sex traffickers stay in the shadows.  It is also why our first instinct when caught in a sin is to lie or to make an excuse in order to cover for ourselves.  We fear being exposed either because of shame, fear of punishment, or both.  

Jesus said the truth will set us free (John 8:32) and you see this in how He dealt with the woman at the well (John 4:1-42), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), and Zacchaeus (Luke 19) By bringing their sins into the light, he gave them the path to freedom.  How?  By showing them mercy and forgiving their sins.

Mercy and forgiveness take away the shame and fear, two of the reasons we want to remain in darkness.  Once we experience this, we can come into the light and remain there.  But the cost always is bringing what we would prefer to remain hidden into the open.  As John says, if we are willing to confess our sins, he will forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).  If we are not, whether because we refuse to stop the sin or because we can’t overcome our fear or shame, then we will remain in the darkness.  

Today, what are you hiding out of fear and/or shame?  Are you weary of the heaviness you feel from the your burden of guilt?  Know that today you can be set free.  Bring your sin into the light of God’s mercy and grace.  Confess your sin to Him and to others (James 5:16) and experience the freedom coming into the light brings.

© Jim Musser 2015