John 12:30-36
30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
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A 250-word devotion wouldn’t scratch the surface of this passage from John. Therefore, I touch on three verses.
· 20: “Some Greeks”
· 25: “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life…keep it”
· 36: ”believe in the light, become children of the light“
Vs. 25 is difficult to hear and understand; it seems to be an anathema to whom Jesus is/was and taught: “love God with your whole heart and love thy neighbor as thyself.” But John 25 seems to relate directly to Paul’s message in Roman’s 7:19, recently read – “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this, I keep doing” Understanding our inability to live without sinning (frequently), lends to the sentiment we would hate our life because inevitably we fall short!
“Some Greeks” want to see Jesus in verse 20. Ancient Greek’s were known to be enlightened ~ Socrates, Plato, Aristotle…as a culture, they were drawn to the light of knowledge. Vs. 36 shows them/us the way…they wanted to know, if Jesus was the light of the World.
Yes, being a child of the light provides clarity on life’s journey; providing an internal compass on how to live, where to turn, how to respond and on whom to lean when the day’s pressures feel overwhelming! It also provides us with grateful hearts and gratitude for our many blessings, far more than our tribulations!
As a child of the light, you can help illuminate the path for those around you still in darkness…a little light goes a long way in the darkness!
Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for your son, Jesus – the light and savior of the world…he takes away the sins of the world, our sins, and provides us hope and comfort every day – help us to see his light, each day, especially when darkness surrounds us. Amen.
—Ken Cryer