A Light in the Dark

It’s 5 a.m. You have your coffee, your destination in mind and might be getting your mind revved up for the day. You don’t expect too much action or mind-blowing moments in your neighborhood. Recently, as I was driving out of ours, my attention was caught by a small light ahead of me to my left. It wasn’t a big light, probably the size of a flashlight. It was about two feet off the ground, swaying gently.  What I saw next left me speechless. It was an elderly woman, probably in her late 60’s. She has a LED headband lamp strapped to her head and was on the ground trimming and edging her sidewalk with lawn clippers. It was evident she had been there for a while; she was halfway down the sidewalk. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. So many questions, so few answers. What time did you get up? Why do you trim a sidewalk at 5 a.m.? Did you have coffee first? Who gave you the idea to use an LED headlamp to trim grass? Who still uses lawn clippers? I can’t drive past her house now without reliving the moment. I’m sure there was a reason. Maybe she works an odd shift. Maybe she doesn’t like the heat. Maybe she wants to avoid people. The possibilities are endless. What came to my mind was Psalm 119:105, “your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Whether we realize it or not, the times we live in are dark and it can be hard to think and see clearly. What we need is what she had; a light to help her navigate the moment.  I don’t know why she was cutting grass at 5 a.m. and I don’t really want to understand, but I do know there are many difficult dynamics happening in our world right now. So many opinions. How do we navigate? We need the Light. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Looking for direction? Searching for answers? Trying to traverse the issues of the day. Get the Light of the World involved in your light. He brings clarity in the darkest of situations.