John 3:18-21

“And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” vs. 19

John was no fool! By the time he wrote his gospel the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection had been spreading for at least a couple of generations. There were now believers in every major city in the Roman Empire. But not everyone who received the message of grace believed it, and John believed that he knew why. Even though the light had come into the world, some people loved darkness better than light–it was the best way to keep their evil ways hidden! What John observed is still present among us. Millions of people have received the good news of Jesus with thanksgiving and his light burns brightly among them. But others continue to live in darkness, presumably because it’s more comfortable for them. They sense that to believe in Jesus will mean change, and when the old ways are so comfortable, why would they bother? It’s not that unbelievers are bad people. Not at all! Many of us count them among our family and friends. And because they too have been created in the image of God, they will by nature do good. But living in darkness can be a precarious business–stumbling blocks abound–and it’s so easy to get lost, and often their basic goodness is hidden! When we love the light, our lives are enriched and the world is blessed!

Thought for the Day: What changes when we believe in Jesus?