Night Light

Night Light (By Justin Vance of Calvary Baptist Church)

Working as a young police officer, it was not unusual for a security alarm to trip in the middle of night, so we frequently checked churches, warehouses and other buildings during a shift. One night I found an open door at a local church. I called for a back-up officer before going in to check the building.

I have to say, there is something about going through a dark church building in the middle of the night that just feels weird. Since I was relatively new on the force, I didn’t know this building very well. The officer helped guide me through the maze of a building. It wasn’t long when we came upon a basement entrance.

My partner stayed at the top of the steps, as I began my way down to check it out. I opened a door, and suddenly in the dark corner, I saw him! A man standing about 6 feet tall, standing in the corner to my left. His shadowy figure is the kind that can make your skin crawl. Instinctively, I pulled up my service weapon as I pointed the light in that direction. It all happened so fast; I don’t even know if I uttered any words other than “Ahh!”

Immediately, after pointing my light in that direction, silence overcame me. My partner, at the top of the steps started laughing hysterically. The shadowy, terrifying man that I found in the basement, was in fact, a mannequin of Jesus.

“I see you met Jesus” I heard from the top of the steps. Everyone else thought it was hilarious. For next month I was the man that “almost shot Jesus”.

Lessons were learned that day and there is a spiritual application. Light reveals the problems that darkness hides. This life is filled with unknowns and dark moments. Our mind can be filled with fear. But God has given us a Light in the darkness, His only begotten son, Jesus. When Jesus shines His light, we realize we really had nothing to fear all along. Just like finding a mannequin in the dark, there is nothing to be scared of when we let Jesus illuminate the path.

John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, “I am the Light Of The World: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life.”