The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. -John 1:5, ESV
I will be angry without hatred.
I will weep without despair.
I will proclaim truth without being cowed by lies.
I will fight evil with love.
I will practice mercy instead of vengeance.
I will sing when I am afraid.
I will leave a legacy of beauty instead of misery.
I will seek justice for the oppressed.
I will be a voice for those who are overlooked.
I will be a light that the darkness cannot overcome.
My heart and my head are full right now. Too full for many words. I want to spit venom at those who seek to turn tragedy to further their own particular hobby-horse or agenda. I want to punch a society that allows children to be brutalized. I want to scream at a media that further victimizes these wounded innocents. I want to fall to my knees and weep in abject despair over the brokenness of this world.
But I will not do any of those things. Because we do not fight darkness, wickedness, and brokenness with darkness, wickedness, and brokenness. We fight darkness with light, wickedness with love, brokenness with healing.
And so I write these words to remind myself of the path I have chosen.
Love will overcome. Love has overcome. 2000 years ago, Love broke himself open and poured out hope and healing on this shattered world. It was no magic spell, it was the ultimate sacrifice. We might not see a world completely healed yet – in some ways, this world seems to be getting more broken every day. That doesn’t do away with our hope. Our faith that one day, all pain and hurt and sorrow will be washed away, this world made perfect and made new, and Love’s children safe in his arms at last.
Until that day comes, I will keep my feet on the path of Love.
I choose beauty. I choose hope. I choose faith.
I choose light.
And I choose Love.
<3 I love you. I think we have very similar reactions to tragedy. Global, cosmic, needing to focus on Light. It's good to know someone else processes things the way I do. I also appreciated that other article you RTed the link to just now.
We're all stunned and sad. Not a pleasant day in America.
Amen.
Wasn't that one good? She phrased her thoughts much more articulately than I managed,
To put it mildly.
Thank you.
Amen!
Beautifully said. Fighting hatred with hatred doesn't accomplish anything. This was a great reminder to be kind and loving, even when it's tough!
Thanks for this, Louise. It's heartbreaking and senseless, and I needed the reminder that there is love and light out there. <3
Thank you.
I'm glad you found it helpful! It was helpful to me just in the writing of it.
I'm glad it was able to do some good. One small candle in the dark.