STRIVE FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE DEVOTIONAL 4

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But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. - 1 John 1:7 

Light holds a certain importance to Christians, especially when relating to the influence of Jesus. We learn “This Little Light of Mine” in Sunday School, we see acolytes carry and station lit candles in church, and we bring the light home when we craft our Advent wreaths. But these forms of light are all tangible—we can hear and sing the song, we can see the flame and touch the brass, we can smell the evergreens When we see light, we feel safe and reassured; reminded of Jesus’s triumph over evil and death. But how do we take this light home? How does light pertain to the rest of society, expanding beyond just those who share the Christian faith? How can we embed this light into our hearts and apply it to our own lives? In these past two years, it's been difficult to share our light, and, for quite a few, maintain it. Many members of our global community have felt unheard, abandoned, and misrepresented. We have been left to deal with the turmoil of the lack of education and understanding, desperately trying to unite the people we hold close to our hearts. In these times, our light has been dampened and extinguished. Our vow made to respect the dignity of others has been violated, lost in the crossfire of the exchange of harsh words, but also in the harsh reality that we face. When it starts to feel like humanity is unsalvageable, we must remember our shared fellowship, what not only brings Christians, but also all of humanity, together—light. While It seems we have been kept in the dark these past two years, the light of the day will come. Justice will come. Peace will come. Unity will come. Light will come, as long as we keep it alive within ourselves.