Tuesday, January 19, 2016

This Little Light in The Darkness


As I sit here on this bus, I am suddenly aware of the darkness that surrounds me and I am reminded of my presence here. I’m not speaking of the physical darkness – it’s only 8:30am here. But the emotional darkness, the mental darkness, the deep, heavy, spiritual darkness. That all-consuming, suffocating, blinding darkness that affects and infects the faces I see on a daily basis. 

As I sit here next to the woman muttering and moaning to the beads she clutches in her fingertips, I feel that saddening, suffocating darkness. And in this darkness, I realize my purpose here. I have the sword to cut through this darkness. I have been given the power to pray to my God, THE God, to wash over this darkness. And I smile to myself knowing my weak and feeble prayers to a strong and almighty God are enough to overcome her mutterings that bring darkness to this bus and are powerful enough to cover her with grace and love. 

From the saddened and confused faces I pass on the street everyday to the looks of anger and pain I see staring back at me in the classroom. From the friend who has heard God but doesn’t know God, to the friend who knows God but is overwhelmed with the forces of this world. From the coworkers I work with everyday who carry on like life is nothing but an event to live till it’s over, to those I choose to spend my free time with who just get overwhelmed with it all from time to time. Darkness. But this darkness doesn’t have to be my darkness. 

My candle is very small! A tea light, really. But even a tea light still shines, sometimes if only quietly unnoticed in the background. It may not light a room but it still serves a purpose in adding beauty to the area in which it has been placed. I am a tea light. I am the small flame God chose to add to this island. It’s not much and at times has me feeling so inadequate, like how could I possibly be enough? I fail SO much and half the time I’m not even sure I’m doing it right. But I don’t have to be enough because He is enough through me! And He’s not going anywhere! So the darkness can try to surround this magical little island but it will not prevail. Because this little tea light of mine? I’m gonna let it shine!
“You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” 
Matthew 5:14a, 16

Sarah-Jane Cruz is a first year TESOL teacher with VOICE Missions serving on the beautiful island of Kinmen just off the coast of China. Before coming to Taiwan, Sarah-Jane earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Georgia and went on to serve in the US Peace Corps in Ecuador as a Community Health volunteer. She currently teaches 1st - 9th grades across two different islands in Kinmen County. She is particularly skilled at the art of synchronized hopscotch and underwater basket-weaving. When she is not in the classroom, Sarah-Jane likes to spend her time exploring and photographing the beautiful beaches, tunnels, towers, mountains, and historical military sites that Kinmen has to offer, SCUBA dive, or hang out and share a meal with friends.

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