The Shadows We Don’t See
Luke 11:35 So be careful! Don’t let the light in you become darkness.
Have you ever looked back on a decision you were absolutely certain was right at the time, yet in light of how it turned out, thought, “How did I not see it?” That’s the thing about deception – it rarely feels like darkness in the moment. It feels like light.
In 1986, NASA launched the space shuttle Challenger despite warnings from several engineers that freezing temperatures could cause the O-rings to fail. But under pressure to stay on schedule, managers convinced themselves the risk was acceptable. Seventy-three seconds after liftoff, the shuttle exploded. It wasn’t ignorance – it was misplaced confidence.
Jesus warned about the same danger in the human heart:
Luke 11:35 So be careful! Don’t let the light in you become darkness.
He’d just explained that our eyes – the way we perceive truth – are like lamps. When our perspective is pure, light floods in. But when pride or self-justification clouds our view, even what feels right becomes tainted.
Man, I get that. You, too, no doubt. How many times have we both launched into something with less than pure motives driving our decisions, clouding our judgement and snatching away the thing that we thought was already within our grasp? And how much did it hurt each time we let it happen? You’d think we’d have learned by now, wouldn’t you?
Be careful! Don’t let the light in you become darkness.
So today, ask God to test your inner “light.” Are your motives humble or self-serving? Is your confidence anchored in truth or ego? Because real light doesn’t blind – it reveals. And only Christ’s light can show you who you truly are.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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