All That Glitters Is Not Gold

I ordered a custom made mask for a charity masquerade ball from a local artisan yesterday. She will do the designing. I am not too big on masks. They are meant to disguise who we really are. I am who I am and I see no reason to hide my face; wrinkles and all. Those wrinkles are mine and it's taken many years to acquire them. The mask that Brenda is creating for me will most probably have feathers and glitter. I know her work. It will be fantastic. But, it will not be me.

We all already wears masks from time to time. Some of us wear them all of the time. It can be difficult to get through the layers of masks to see who the person really is. We encounter happy, smiling faces all of the time just to find out later that the person is wearing a mask. They may be sad underneath the mask. They may be grieving. They may be jealous or even vindictive and out to harm others. Just because the mask one wears give us the impression that all is well; even extraordinarily well, does not mean that it actually is. All that glitters is not gold. Most of the time glitter is just glitter stuck on with a bit of glue. Be careful then who it is that you would follow; who you would keep confidences with; who you would ally with. Watch for the masks! It can be very difficult to discern who is really underneath them.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." Matt 7:15

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 42 - The Light Is With You, Even Now

"I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison   
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." (Isa 42:6-7 NIV)

Isaiah prophesied the release of God's people from captivity. This prophecy relates not just to release of the Israelites, but all whom He loves. For generations, God's faithful people waited for this coming Messiah. According to the New Testament, the prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus the Christ.

^"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”  (Luke 2:25-29)

 

A light for the Gentiles has come. Jesus Christ is that light. He is our way. He is our truth. He is our life. (John 24:6) He was, He is, and He is to come. He is with us now. He is with us always. Follow in the way that the light reveals to you so that you might live life and live it abundantly.

 

I find it most uncomfortable when I hear people talking about the light which we are to follow to the Kingdom of God after we die physical deaths. I am uncomfortable with unbelievers who come back from near death experiences, having seen a light, proclaiming that there are many paths to the Kingdom. As I remember the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians in his second letter to them (vs 14) "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."  We must ask ourselves, was this a trick of evil one? Will the light really be revealed to us only after we die physical deaths?

 

St. Paul died a spiritual death in his encounter with Jesus. He died to self on the road that day so that Christ might live in him. He became blind so that His eyes could be opened to see the true light. Once having seen the light, St. Paul was no longer concerned with his death. He was willing to sacrifice his whole life so that he could proclaim the light that reveals the path to the Kingdom of God. That light is Jesus the Christ.

 

The light has come into the world. You do not have to wait until you die physical deaths to see the light and to to follow in His way. In fact, it would be foolhardy to think that you can wait until after death to know the light that has come into this world. I think there is something key to remember in those words: "Light has come into the world." St. John wrote (John 3:19) "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." The light has come into the world. Is there something better in this world that we would seek first something other than the light in the here and now?

 

Simeon saw the light, who is Jesus the Christ, before he died. Once seeing it, Simeon was ready to die. He was prepared to die in peace.

 

May God open our eyes to see the light of Jesus who has come into the world to shine upon and for and within us.

 

God's Peace - Pr.