Walk in the light
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
—1 John 1:7
Eighteen summers ago this August, my husband and I relocated to California from Michigan. After two weeks of residing at the Loma Linda Inn, we found a place to call home. We settled into the routine of work and life where triple digits, dry heat, sunshine, and the occasional marine layer were the norm. About six weeks later, driving on Lawton Avenue, my husband exclaimed, “What kind of place is this? It hasn’t rained since we have been here!” We were chagrinned that occasional summer showers were not part of the summer season as they had been in the Midwest and the East Coast.
The abundance of sunlight that marks our region is something we take for granted, though we long for relief from the heat waves that have become commonplace in recent years. However, when other parts of the country transition into fall and winter, with its darkness and cold, we are blessed with clear skies, warmer temperatures, and sunshine. Though we live in a sunny state, where we do not often have weather-related darkness, we encounter other types of darkness far too often.
As a nation we are still navigating the effects of COVID-19, inflation, and uncertainty. In our Inland Empire neighborhood, we continue to experience the symptoms of the imperfections inherent in our world — illness, poverty, injustice, and inequality. Other forms of darkness that dampen our faith in God emerge when we experience debilitating doubt about whether we belong at LLUH or our abilities to succeed. Impostor syndrome, added to anxiety, becomes a lethal combination of darkness that often blots out the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, who comes to support us in our challenging moments. Whether we are students, researchers, educators, clinicians, providers, parents, siblings, children, or partners, we can benefit from John’s admonition to keep walking in the Light.
Our scripture for this week is penned by John, who, along with his brother James, was an apprentice of Jesus. He encourages fellow adherents of Christ to remain unwavering in their commitment to Him. John uses the metaphor of light to remind them of Jesus’ connection to Yahweh and His ministry in response to the systems that generate and maintain darkness.
Walking with Christ, who is the Light, ensures that we respond to darkness individually and corporately, guided by compassion, empathy, and love. Walking in the Light does not mean we will not encounter darkness. It means we can rely on Christ to be with us as we face it together.
To “walk in the light” is to live a life marked by transparency, honesty, and integrity in our interactions — whether student, clinician, researcher, administrator, or service provider. We are called to work together, leveraging our strengths to achieve a common goal: the well-being of those entrusted to our care. As we learn, heal, and serve, may our actions be a testament to God’s love and grace.
—Dilys Brooks, PhD, BCC, is campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.
