By Pastor Steve Gill
Turon Community Church
Special to the Tribune

How do they do it? How do people who do not know God personally survive in this world?

That’s the conversation I had with a friend just the other day. My only answer to them was look at the world and you’ll see your answer. People are looking for answers in all the wrong places. They are trying to fulfill the longings inside of them by doing whatever they can find to fill this emptiness and darkness. Drugs, alcohol, perversions, pornography, sexual deviations, you can put almost anything in this category and they have tried it but all these things only offer momentary satisfaction. So they move onto the next thing. Which continues in a never ending search for satisfaction that will last. They are lost in the darkness of sin and do not realize it.

That’s where you and I come in. The only thing that will penetrate darkness is light. The light of Christ. But even that light has been tainted by so called Christians who want to adapt God’s Holy word to fit their lives, to justify their sins.

So what’s the answer? It’s Jesus and each person who has truly given their life to Him. It’s a huge responsibility but the good news is that no one has to do it alone. God knows we are all sinners. We all make mistakes but thanks to God’s great love we can be forgiven of our sins because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. To realize that and accept it is total freedom and peace. That’s what everyone wants and needs in this world.

That’s why it’s so important that the light of Christ shine through us into this dark world. Years ago my wife and I took a tour of the salt museum in Hutchinson. Part of the tour took us back deep into the mine. At one point the driver stopped the jeep, turned off the engine and turned off the lights, instant total darkness.

Soon a feeling of total disorientation started creeping up on me, I felt totally alone and lost even though my wife was sitting right next to me. Soon I was longing for any kind of light. Then suddenly a small light appeared. It was a pen light the driver was holding and from that small light the whole cavern began to unfold before my eyes. Such a relief to see light again.

My fellow Christians, we are to be that small penlight in our world. All God asks us to do is to let it shine and He will do the rest. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus compares his followers to light, saying we “are the light of the world”.

Jesus’ words and actions showed His nature to the world around Him, just as we, who are Christ-followers, give light to those around us by doing and saying what Jesus did. Just live your life the best you can the way Jesus did and His light will shine.

Remember a little light goes a long way. This dark world needs the light of Christ.

So back to the question “How do they do it”? Answer: Not very well. Go be the Light.