LIGHT AND TRUTH

The classroom of life here on earth includes some difficult lessons; and there are bound to be occasions when there is an unannounced, timed, multiple choice test. Such was the case with last Thursday night's totally unexpected and difficult encounter that we had with an armed robber immediately in front of our apartment.

We have now had some time the past few days to quietly reflect upon what happened and to prayerfully ask Heavenly Father what He wants us to have learned from this experience. It also seems important to share any light and understanding that has been provided to us through the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

In our Church we often speak of light and truth, but just what do these words mean? The assailant came to us out of darkness, and there was no light about him. Empowered only by the possession of a lethal weapon, this man's crude language while he was speaking to us was filled with menacing threats and vulgarities revealing that no light shown within him either.  Such it is with Satan and those people who willingly follow him in this life. Their secret combinations of evil works are by choice often performed in darkness and shadow. 

God’s realm of light contrasts to the dark realm of Satan

In comparison, our light even the spiritual Light of Jesus Christ, was within us even as we stood in the face of physical danger between the backdrop of a street lamp and the front door light of our apartment building. Sister Lindsay and I both knew that we weren't really alone that night even though the protection we were receiving at that moment was not visible to us or the robber. As servants of the Lord, we can't help but wonder how anybody could willingly prefer darkness and misery over light and warmth? Yet darkness, cold, and misery will be the lot of those who willingly and knowingly reject the Lord.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  (1John 1:5)

Theodore M. Burton of the First Quorum of Seventy shares this spiritual insight pertaining to the light of Christ. "The light of Christ therefore includes not only spiritual light but also physical light, and is a key to understanding that form of energy which is represented by the light we see all around us. Satan is that wicked one who comes and takes away light and truth from the children of men through their disobedience and because of the traditions of their fathers. But the Lord has commanded us to bring up our children in light and truth. The opposite of light is darkness, and the opposite of truth is falsehood."

My wife and I share a sense of sadness concerning the young man who robbed us. We had attempted to tell him that we are Church missionaries and don't carry much cash; but he was so focused on obtaining what little money we had in our possession at that moment, he could only make demands and threaten our lives. Little did he know or care that what we really could have given him might have changed his eternal destiny.