Measuring the Light

John 1:5

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

In our world we can measure many things, we can measure height, width, weight, volume, velocity, pressure, distance, temperature, light, heat. One thing we cannot measure is darkness. We do not have a tool that can measure darkness; we can only measure the amount of light present. According to atp-instrumentation.co.uk[1], "when we measure light we are interested in how many Lumens fall on a surface; this is what we know as lux. One lux is one lumen per square meter.” Total darkness is the absence of light; when this occurs in nature, we measure darkness by the position of the sun, our light source. So if it is impossible for us to measure darkness, why would we try to measure people this way? Why do we measure people based on their darkness? Rather than judge someone by their transgressions, their mistakes, their past, we should look for the light, and when it is not present it is our duty to shine the light of Christ in us.

Matthew 7:1-2

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

1 John 1:5-7

“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

John 8:12

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”

Matthew 5:16

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

1 Thessalonians 5:5,8

"For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation."

We have no tool for measuring darkness, nor should we try to measure people by their darkness—it’s impossible to do so and foolish to try. Use the Word of God as your standard (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and measure the light—and if the light of Jesus is not there it is our duty to shine it brightly.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed

[1] https://www.atp-instrumentation.co.uk/blog/how-to-measure-light-levels/