The True Light

It's amazing and somewhat heartwarming that we are seeing a renewed expression of personal faith from people who are often in the spotlight, celebrities, athletes, and such. I remarked the other day to my wife that UFC fighters more often express their faith and gratitude to their “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” than do politicians, or so it seems. Politicians don't usually want to “offend” anyone, whereas the fighters don't seem to care. After their vocal expression of deep faith, many of them quickly seem to have no qualms whatsoever about using language of the most foul-mouthed souls you can imagine, flowing out of them with such fluidity!

I tend to be a bit of a “doubter,” maybe stemming from my distant Missouri heritage from the “show me” state. We need to keep our eyes open at all times, and be aware of those who say they “believe," but are at a young stage of growth in their spiritual lives. They might say or do things that are questionable, or even downright wrong or offensive, in their youthful or immature faith. 

One person in particular has caught my attention, and that is Russel Brand, who has become quite vocal in his relatively newly found faith. He even has a book out - HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN IN SEVEN DAYS. Without having read it, I question it. And I really doubt that I would suggest Mr. Brand as a faith mentor for myself or anyone else, at least at this young stage in his life of faith. Not to take away from his decision to follow Jesus, I would simply say let's keep watching and learning, and see how it goes for a lifetime. 

This brings me to an aspect of our faith that means a lot to me. It is a life of faith - a whole lifetime. In the first chapter of John, written by one of Jesus' closest followers, it says the following:

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

It takes that lifetime of faith, along with some stumbles and failings, to become those children of God, those faithful servants who give God all the glory, relying on His attributes that become part of our own lives through study and learning, watching and growing. As in a man's lifetime, we do not expect young children to think or do things that a grown, mature person is capable of. 

God Bless Us All!