Light

I know its pretty early, but this particular subject has been on my mind all night long, so I decided to write it while still fresh as could be. Last night, our athlete FCA was led by a new face, the face of the football FCA huddle here at Clemson. Due to their hectic practice schedule, the football team, rarely gets to engage in our FCA on wednesday nights, therefore, they do theirs on Mondays. This new leader, branded words directly into both my heart and mind last night about the light of Christ. The message was about never straying away and stepping out of the light. What is this light He was talking about? The light of Christ. When asked to define light, we came up with; "something to help you see, bright, and casts a shadow." Doesn't that sound a lot like God? 1. Something that helps you to see: God gave us a life with many talents, as well as, adversities. He visibly presents them to you and helps you down the correct path. 2. Something Bright: Acts 26:13 says, "About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, BRIGHTER than the sun, blazing around me and my companions." 3. Something that casts a shadow: God creates a shadow behind Him so that others will be guided to follow. So after all of those powerful words, we were asked this question: Why do you stray away from the light? Think about it. When you pray to God, or when you go to church, or when you sit alone reading your Bible, I am sure that you think you are a definite Christian. What about the other times? What about when you are out drinking with your friends at a party or when you are cursing at an opponent during a competition or game? Are you acting like a Christian then? Our leader told us something about this that will stick with me forever...he said, "A Perfect Christian is one who says he/she is a Christian so that they can be perceived as one." All actions aside, if they say they are followers of Christ then they are. period. Only thats not what being a Christian is. Being a Christian is not about just talking the talk. It is about walking the walk. Walking in the light of Christ. When we walk out of the light to take part in drinking, parties, and misguided behavior, then what is that saying to God? Aren't you basically telling Him that you only choose to follow Him in certain aspects? What is it saying to those that you have told you are a Christian? Are you telling them that being a Christian is just a normal life with the word tattooed on your forehead? Once you say the word, you are exempt of all judgement and rules? I know it's a lot a questions to ask, but they are all focused on the same idea: That to be a Christian, you must walk in the light of Christ. Yeah, we all mess up.  We all stray away from the light at times due to our flesh. But, God is always forgiving and welcomes you back into the light with open arms. But this doesn't mean that you can stray away whenever you feel like it because God will just take you back anyways...in that case, you aren't really much of a true Christian at all. God is the light that guides us through life and into His Kingdom of Heaven. Step into it.