By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
I have a confession to make. I’m a Christmas light snob!
There. I’ve said it.
What must you think of me now?
I know. I can’t believe it myself. I thought I was so broad minded and inclusive, but apparently, not when it comes to Christmas lights. When it comes to light displays, I’m critical. I score each yard on a scale from 1-10 spouting things like, “I love those lights; they are really beautiful!” Or… “What the heck were they thinking? That looks awful!
For some reason, my obsessive/compulsive/orderly brain prefers lights of similar type. I like all white lights or all colored lights, but I don’t like when people mix the two together. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard. I almost can’t bear to look.
Recently, we were going down the road and I saw a lonely looking Christmas tree in the corner of someone’s yard beautifully decorated with colored lights – all colored lights!
I was just about to declare it a perfect ten, when I noticed something. The tree was only lit up on the front side. The whole backside of the tree was completely dark.
What an atrocity, I thought to myself! These homeowners only decorated the part of the tree that could be seen. I can’t lie. I kind of got a sick feeling inside, like I had been duped.
At that very moment, the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me that, sometimes, I do the same thing. I only allow parts of my life to be on display for others to see. Other parts, the not so becoming, flawed, and sinful parts, I prefer to keep those hidden in darkness.
Friends, when we allow others to only see the “pretty” side, the decorated and nicely tied up in a bow side, we leave people with a sick feeling inside because they believe we are perfect, and therefore, they can never measure up.
There is nothing more beautiful than the vulnerability of someone who is willing to let Christ shine through their flaws. Jesus is called the Light of the world. In Him there is no darkness. When we have Christ inside us, His light pours out, even through our flaws.
It’s impossible to shine the full light of Christ when we keep parts of ourselves in hidden in darkness. Being vulnerable and confessing our shortcomings, not pretending that we have it all together, will draw people to Christ like moths to a light bulb.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).
“If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Psalm 139:11-12).
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
