Discover the profound impact of walking in the light of God. Ano ba ang magiging impact ng paglakad natin sa liwanag – hindi lang sa atin, kundi maging sa mga sumusunod sa atin?
Let me share a portion of the Scripture from 1 John 1:5-10:
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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 cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
We can infer three things from the passage:
God is Light
Ang sabi ni John, ang Diyos ay liwanag. Ano ba ang nagagawa ng liwanag sa buhay natin?
Una, light gives us assurance. Na-experience mo na bang pumasok sa isang kwarto na sobrang dilim, as in pitch black at halos lamunin ka na ng darkness? Nakakatakot di ba? Mahirap mabuhay sa lugar na puno ng kadiliman. Brown-out nga lang nagpapanic na tayo, paano pa kaya yung buhay na puro dilim? Kapag may liwanag, mas confident ka sa mga actions mo.
Pangalawa, light gives us guidance. Guidance kasi hindi ka na mangangapa. Nakikita mo plainly kung ano ang safe gawin, ano ang dapat piliin, saan ka hindi mapapahamak. Malaking tulong ang mga guides at directions para hindi tayo maligaw. At kung may liwanag tayong susundin, hindi tayo maliligaw. In fact, mas prone tayong magkamali kung wala tayong guide na sinusunod.
Life without God is like living in darkness. Kapag nasa darkness ka, wala kang katiyakan sa nasa paligid mo, hindi ka secured sa mga nangyayari, wala kang direction, at wala kang patutunguhan. We think we have an idea what’s going on around us pero ang totoo, limited lang ang talaga ang kaya natin. Apart from God, we can do nothing. Kaya kailangan natin ng liwanag.
We can walk in God’s Light (and choose not to walk in it)
Ibig sabihin, choice na natin kung lalakad tayo sa liwanag na ito ng Diyos o hindi. Walang pilitan kung ayaw natin ng light na ino-offer niya. We can always choose our own way, and syempre tayo na rin ang bahala sa consequences of our actions.
May isang babaeng nagbabahay-bahay ng kanyang mga paninda. Nagpapalipat-lipat siya sa iba’t ibang bayan. Pero kapag napapadpad po siya sa isang crossroad, sa lugar na di siya sigurado kung sa kaliwa o sa kanan o diretso ba dapat siya pumunta, maghahagis siya ng stick at kung saan tumapat ang stick, dun siya pupunta.
Pero isang beses may nakakita sa kanya na naghahagis ng stick nang paulit-ulit. Kaya tinanong siya, “malinaw naman ang tinuturong direction ng stick, pero bakit paulit-ulit mo pa rin hinahagis yung stick?”
“E kasi hindi siya tumuturo sa direction na gusto ko e. Palaging sa kanan, e gusto ko nga sana sa kaliwa.”
Minsan ganito po tayo, may malinaw na sinasabing direction, may liwanag na – pero pinipilit pa rin natin ang gusto nating gawin, puntahan, at lakaran.
Mabuti na lang hindi tayo pinipilipit ng Diyos. Binibigyan niya tayo ng option. Pero life would be infinitely better if we choose to do His ways rather than our own ways. Kung pipili na rin lang tayo, piliin na natin yung light! This is because…
If we choose to walk in God’s Light, we will be one with Him
If we choose light over anything else, meaning if we choose God, we are refusing other things. By process of elimination, ano ba ang mga binibitiwan natin kapag pinili natin ang light? We surrender dependence sa sarili nating lakas at kakayanan. Natututo tayong I-acknowledge ang power at authority ni Lord sa buhay natin. Sinu-surrender din natin ang ating pride, mga rough edges natin in exchange for godly attitudes na dinedevelop sa atin ng Panginoon.
And if we choose to walk in God’s light, we are becoming one with Him. Ang ibig sabihin ng pagiging isa kay Jesus ay pagiging intimately related. Alam mo kung ano ang heartbeat niya, alam mo kung ano ang nagpapasaya sa kanya, alam mo ang laman ng puso niya. And you’ll know that His plans and ways are better, and we are in good hands kapag sumusunod tayo sa kanya.
A message to parents
If you are a parent, our relationship with God is just like our relationship with our children. Gusto natin ibigay sa kanila ang best that we can offer. Kaya tayo nagtatrabaho para makapagprovide ng food para sa kanila. Pinag-aaral natin sila kasi gusto natin makuha nila yung best – at para may edge sila sa buhay. Kaya natin ginagawa ang lahat ngayon kasi gusto natin ibigay ang magandang future para sa kanila.
Pero no matter how much we try to push ourselves sa ating mga anak, time will come na tatanda din sila at magkakaroon din sila ng sarili nilang choice, just like us. Pipiliin na rin nila ang mga gusto nila – na minsan against sa mga choices natin para sa kanila. Unfortunately for some, lalo na mga nakikita at napapanood natin sa media, na may mga tao talagang mali ang choices nila kasi they did not walk in the light. At ayaw nating mangyari yun sa ating mga anak. We want them to be secured not just materially but more so spiritually.
Ganundin ang gusto ni God for us. However, we are always left with a choice. Gusto ba natin mag-walk sa light of God, or piliin natin maglakad sa gusto nating daan?
Our decision
And as parents, we have this wonderful privilege of influencing our children to walk in this awesome light of God! Nasa position tayo ng influence kasi they look up to us. As young as they are, we are their heroes, their role models. Whatever we do, say, and how we respond to things means a lot to them. And in the future kapag kailangan na nilang magdecide on their own, babalikan nila ang mga heroes and role models nila. The question is, what kind of influence are we giving them? Are we leading them to the light of God? Or are we dimming the light of God to them? It’s our choice today. And our choice will make an impact on their future.
Fortunately, the good news is, we can at least be a positive and godly influence on them as early as now! Kung ang gusto niyo po ay kayo ang mag-guide sa inyong mga anak into the light of God, pwedeng-pwedeng mangyari yun! At let me tell you, the school and the church can only do as much, pero hindi kayang pantayan ng school at church ang influence natin sa ating mga anak to lead them to the light of God. I believe we all want the best for them. And the best we can give them, I believe, is the gift of leading them to the light. Pero magagawa lang po natin yun kung tayo mismo ang nasa liwanag.
If this is your desire – to live in the light, to walk in the light, allow Jesus to be your Light, your Lord, and your Savior. Let him influence your life, your decisions, your job, your relationships, and your parenting. Wala itong pilitan. If this is your desire, take this seriously. And if you choose to walk in the Light, if this is your decision, you are making the most crucial decision you will make in your life.
Let him be your light, and let him guide you and assure you of his wonderful presence daily.
