It is said that it is easier to light a candle than to curse the darkness. That is true.

And we know where light comes from. The Gospel of John calls Jesus the light of all lights.

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” - John 1:4-5

Additionally, Matthew 5:14-16 talks about believers in Jesus as being light. We are to let our light shine before others so that our good deeds may be seen and glorify our Father in heaven. We see the light of others’ good deeds, also, as light in a dark world.

In some places, in some times, we see the darkness of the world more than others. Or maybe it’s our perspective that makes the difference.

Ever since I was in elementary school watching the Watergate Hearings (yes, some could call me old and nerdy), I have loved the news. My need to know what was going on continued through the years—but over time I became disenchanted with the lack of positive news and even distraught with the divisive, negative, dark coverage I saw.

Today is an unprecedented time of dissension, anger, ill will, and fear for many people. COVID, isolation, and political discord have heightened anxiety and despair. No matter on which side of the partisan divide individuals find themselves, the darkness of anxiety and distrust are common.

In Philippians 4, Paul instructs us not to be anxious.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7

That means our circumstances may not change, but we can be changed by a God who loves us.

That same passage continues to explain that our mindset, or our perspective, is crucially important.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” - Philippians 4:8

So, we are to think about that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy.

How do we do that? We can start by paying attention to people being true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. We need to share, listen to, and learn from the stories of people who are living in a manner that is positive and uplifting. Their stories deserve to be told and heard and provide light and inspiration in a world where so much attention is paid to that which is dark and divisive.

It’s a mistake to think that these positive stories should be about people who are spotless. Only God is perfect, people are not. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” as Paul tells us, (Romans 3:23) “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).

But sometimes things they are doing or have done deserve to be shared. Someone may need the inspiration they can provide. And God needs to be part of the story in some way. All light, all goodness starts with Him.

So, we don’t look for fault, we look for that which is good. That reminds me of a print that I had had on my desk for years. It simply said, “Anyone can find the dirt in someone. Be the one who finds the gold” (Proverbs 11:27).

“Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it” - Proverbs 11:27

I am intentional about looking for stories of people who are living well so that I can be inspired by that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. And I invite you to do the same.

Questions for Thought

1. What can you think about today that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy?

2. Can you appreciate anyone who is living well or in a manner that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy?

3. How can you share God’s light and inspiration in a dark world?

Check out stories of people who are living well at peoplelivingwell.com.