The True Light

Which enlightens everyone is coming into the world.  John 1:9

I sure like the idea  Of the" true" light.  Just like I like the idea of " true" facts and not fake news. Unfortunately I find it hard at times to discern what is true and what is false, what is real and what is unreal, what is working and what is not working.

Yesterday at the Virginia Festival of the Book all the lectures took us into that ambiguous place of waiting  and discerning.  The first speakers had written books about Russia and the US. I was left with much to ponder. There is the mystery of the Russian people and their character, their history and their geography and how has led to where they are now under the strong leadership. Of Putin.

The whole day had me thinking about social change and how it happens. Some of what was discussed  was the dismantling of the USSR, the supreme court decision in the Loving case where interracial marriage became law and the similar gay marriage acceptance.  All of this happened slowly over time with many people working together. You might say that the light of freedom and equality was dim but present and leading people forward.

The last talk we heard was about the global refugee problem. I learned that the average. The figures are daunting.  Last year 65 million people were displaced globally and the average displacement is 17 years!  For the most part these are years of living in limbo where the people cannot work or move their families. We heard a lot of bad news about how advocacy for these people is not a priority, about corruption, about the lack of capacity in many of the host countries. Where is the light?

Eventually there were solutions that were present.. Like lowering our expectations of the INGOs that serve them, having conversations with all who are involved in this crisis and investing in "conditional micro finance." I keep learning that this is very complicated and everyone has a valid point of view and discernment takes time and effort ( and prayer!)

I go home today after we hear one more talk this morning from a mystery writer. What I know to be true is that the darkness is our willfully ignorance as we limit our attention to what is right in front of us in our own lives. I plead guilty to that!

So I return home from this somewhat enlightened about many subjects. I always live as a woman of hope believing and trusting that the light really is there in what looks like total darkness. I pray for further discernment  in this muddy world we live in as I seek to bring light, life and love in my own very imperfect way.

My mantra for today. May I walk in the True Light that enlightens everyone.