Do you remember when tinted car windows were the big thing? Some cars had that purpley tint that bubbled up after a few weeks while other cars had windows as dark as night. Today, tinted windows are standard features. Why? Because when you are driving, too much light is not a good thing.
Tinting may be good for cars but not for people’s lives. People need more light in their lives, not less. When the light of Christ is shining brightly in a life, it reveals with clarity how God loves you, guides you and is at work in the world around you. Most Christians can think of a time in their life when the light of Christ was shining so brightly it seemed to touch everything. During the birth of a child, a special mission trip, or a moment of great accomplishment your whole life can explode with the light of Christ. Other times, Christ’s light is a gentle glow reassuring you and lighting your path.
If Christ’s light is so great, how do our lives become tinted? The first layer of tinting may come from frustrations or disappointments which shift your focus off Christ and onto your struggles. This can easily lead to focusing on your self. From this new layer of tint, you become a little less concerned about other’s needs and more concerned about your need to be taken care of or get things done. With time, your self-centeredness feels comfortable so the things that bring the light of Christ into your world begin to feel uncomfortable. Maybe you begin to sleep late on Sundays and you can’t find your Bible. Your friends might shift from people who encourage you towards Christ light to those that subtly pull you away. After a while, you might find yourself with so much tinting you find yourself sitting in the dark.
The great news is that no matter how much tinting a believer allows in their life, they will always have the light of Christ. John 8: 12 say 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.” But how can that be? After letting in so much darkness into a life, how can the light of Christ make it in?
Jesus explains where believers can find His light in their darkness. Matthew 5:14 says “You are the light of the world. “ That’s right. Christ’s light is in you. Jesus brought His light into the world but now His light shines through you, whether you want it to or not.
So if you find yourself in a dark car with all the windows tinted black, fear not. Your faith, which is the light of Christ, is still with in you. The tint can’t keep the seeds of faith planted within you from shining. Look away from the dark tinted widows and look to the glimmer of light Christ planted within you. Focus on the light, and one day at a time and watch your light shine.
