When we want to stay angry about something, or even if we don’t know why we are mad, it’s just a fact that we want to remain angry, then we are refusing the grace God wants to give us.
My husband made the comment yesterday when we were out driving; “People are just angry, and they are driving like they are angry.” Drivers in California have got faster, weaving through traffic, making foolish decisions, cutting people off, and, well, driving like they want to run you off the road. It’s dangerous and frightening!
This increase in fast, angry, foolish drivers reminds me of what Jesus said the end times would be like – lawlessness would increase, and because it was, the love of many would grow cold. (Matthew 24:12) But this isn’t the way Christians are traveling. And our fruit, what’s developing and growing from our “tree,” us, tells others who we are. Are your eyes full of God’s generous Spirit? Or are you being taken over and being led along by darkness? Jesus warned when talking about lamps that we must make sure the light in us isn’t actually darkness. If our eyes were generous or healthy, then all of us would be full of light.
We are to proclaim the goodness of God. But if our eyes are looking down on others, angry, complaining, and not focused on Jesus and His surrendered, gracious life, then we are fools living a life that doesn’t reflect our Master.
Some days I want to get angry. But I know, immediately, that it’s a foothold for the Devil to get his hooks in us and make us look bad. I don’t belong to his kingdom, and I certainly want the light of life reflecting through me in every decision and attitude I display.
It takes courage to trust Jesus in every situation when the world around us is raging forward, seemingly winning with its display of anger and aggression, pushing the simple, or generous, aside. God doesn’t care for these proud, arrogant people. And I am always astounded at some of the actions of other drivers on the road or of the mouths of others I hear. But we are not to think they have the upper hand, and we must pray that our light and love penetrates their hearts before it’s too late and Jesus returns to set up His kingdom with an iron rod that will take no-nonsense. We must learn patience and endurance, and kindness. Pray to be filled with God’s generous spirit and our eyes healthy – looking on Christ and all He’s done and taught and not the error of this world.
A lamp is lit and then place on a stand. Remember, you were once darkness, but now you are light. And that Jesus is coming back. Then Who we are will then be clearly revealed to all. Use eyes of generosity and love to make sure no darkness is found in you.
Lamps are generous. I’ve never thought of it this way before. They give light to others so that they can see and not bump into things or be hindered by darkness. Lamps don’t demand anything back. They just need to be plugged in!
“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you,” (Luke 11:33-36).
[a] – generous
[b] – stingy
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