Rev. Annie Watson ARCWP and Rev. Jayme Mathis
Have you ever experienced absolute darkness, such as not being able to see the hand in front of your face in a cavern or cave? Other than the literal absence of light, darkness can refer to ignorance, confusion, uncertainty, depression, or evil. Individually, we’ve all been in a dark place, have we not? The solution to darkness is light, which is something our religious tradition knows a thing or two about.
Did you notice the subtle difference between the readings in Isaiah and Matthew? Isaiah writes, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Later in history, Matthew quotes Isaiah, saying, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah uses the word “walked,” while Matthew uses the word “sat”. Differences like this can be attributed to scribes making subtle changes while copying textscentury after century, sometimes accidentally and sometimes on purpose, or, more than likely in this case, the difference is due to the process of translation from one language to another.
We’ll let the scholars play with that, but let’s take it as it is.
There is a subtle, yet meaningful difference between the two verbs—walking and sitting—and many commentators, both ancient and modern, have noticed it. Isaiah is describing the plight of the Israelites in the 8th century B.C. during the Assyrian conquest of Israel. The people are “walking in darkness.” They are carrying on with their lives. They haven’t given up. (I see a parallel today with the Ukrainians, who continue to carry on in the worst of circumstances.)
Fast forward eight centuries. The Romans are now the big bullies on the block. Quoting Isaiah, Matthew describes the resolve of the Jews in a slightly different way. Rather than walking in darkness, Matthew says they are sitting in darkness. This suggests they feel stuck—trapped—with no way out. There is a deep sense of helplessness. They feel they are unable to change their situation.
The differences in Isaiah and Matthew—walking versus sitting in darkness—compel us to ask ourselves which posture we are taking. When we find ourselves in some kind ofdarkness, do we carry on or do we give up? Either way, I believe we should adopt the mindset of a spelunker, someone who shines light in a dark cave. As Christians, we are called to bring light to the world. How are Christians similar to spelunkers, you ask? Let me count the ways:
Spelunkers go into caves prepared. They bring headlamps, ropes, and tools because they expect darkness. They are ready for it. Likewise, living in a spiritually dark world, Christ-followers should carry the light of Christ and be equipped. One way to be equipped is to bring a map, which we understand as our Holy Scriptures. Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” Are we “equipped” like a spelunker for Christ? Are we prepared to enter the darkness of the world with the Light of Christ?
One of the things we have to guard against is being lulled into thinking that the darkness is no longer a problem, so we dim or even turn off our lights and lay aside our equipment, thinking none of that is no longer necessary. A good analogy of this is folks who stop taking medication for mental or physical health. We begin to think that we don’t need our medicine any longer because we feel fine. And when we stop taking it, what happens? The darkness returns. The same is true when we turn off the light of Christ in our lives. The darkness will return. So,point number one: enter the dark places of this world with the light of Christ and the proper equipment.
When the tour guide turns on the lights in a cavern, we see breathtaking formations—stalactites, underground rivers, crystal chambers, you name it. Likewise, with the Light of Christ in our lives, we discover the hidden beauty of a faith tradition illuminated by such things as forgiveness and reconciliation, a sense of purpose and peace of mind, care and compassion, healing and hope, just to name a few. Discovering the Light of Christ in our inner lives is like discovering the inner beauty of a hidden cave.
Spelunkers experience tight squeezes and unexpected problems. They crawl through narrow passages, climb over rocks, and sometimes get a little muddy. Christ-followers can also face a great deal of obstacles and challenges, such as persecution (in some places), marginalization, internal struggles, ethical dilemmas, and societal pressures to conform or compromise. Spelunkers and Christians both learn to overcomeobstacles.
Spelunkers use the buddy system. If someone slips, gets stuck, or loses their light, others step in. Christ-followers arealso called to use a buddy system. Remember when Jesus sends out his disciples “two by two”? But let’s go back even further in our faith tradition, to a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes. In chapter 4:9-10, we find these words: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.” We can best bring the Light of Christ to the world if we do so as a community.
After hours underground, spelunkers come back to the surface with a new appreciation for light, space, and fresh air. This is not unlike the return of astronauts from the darkness of space. More than a few have expressed a greater interest in the spiritual world after they have had a space-traveling birds-eye view of the physical world and the universe writ large. Christ-followers, after walking through (or sitting in) difficult and dark times, often emerge with greater faith, more humility, and deepergratitude. We are transformed by the light that breaks into the darkness, so therefore, we should never be afraid of the darkness.
Are we carrying the Light of Christ? Are we discovering the hidden beauty of our faith tradition? Are we ready to face all theobstacles? Are we doing all this in community with others? And are we being transformed as a result? Are we ready to be spelunkers for Christ? If so, let’s make sure our batteries are fully charged in our headlamps. Amen.
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