Choose the Opportunities for Goodness, Righteousness and Truth

I was in Charleston, South Carolina late one evening (many moons ago) walking on the Battery. It was late at night and someone said that they thought the ground looked like it was moving. So, a flashlight was turned on and there were tons of cockroaches scampering all over the place trying to get out of the light. Light has a peculiar way of bringing out the truth.

"For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:1-11

Paul is reminding us that although we once were living a life that was in the dark spiritually, without God and without hope, we are now light in the Lord. In this world we shine and expose the darkness around us. That is part of God's purpose for your life.

The fruit of the light within us is all goodness, righteousness and truth. Find out what pleases the Lord. Not what pleases you, what pleases the Lord. The darkness of the world around us will appeal to our sinful natures and will lead to fruitless deeds. Do you get that? Fruitless deeds...deeds that yield nothing but emptiness. I was watching a show last night that brought up the awful fact the Ernest Hemingway shot himself. He had a life that many people thought was a great fulfilling life. In the end, death. 

In contrast to the darkness of the world life in Christ is life in the light which yields eternal life, abundant life, life to the fullest. As a child of the light you can pick the fruits of goodness,  righteousness and truth. 

Here are the can do's: You can choose to do what is good. You can choose to do what is right. You can choose to act in and on the truth. 

Father, help us to see the opportunities for goodness, righteousness and truth today. Praise be to you in us today!