Darkness and Light

I'll never understand why people create conflict. We all have those people in our lives who don't want things to go smoothly. People who create tension, awkwardness, and strife. I'm not saying that I'm perfect because I am very flawed, but that I just don't get. 

You've heard the saying: Blowing out someone's candle won't make yours shine any brighter.

And it's true.  Happy people don't go around trying to cut other people down. I don't think I've ever been jealous of someone just because they wanted me to be jealous of them. I feel too sad for them that they think they need to blow out candles. The thing about bragging is that it always sounds like bragging. Nobody has a perfect life. No one is without problems and disappointment. Whether it's because someone works hard at projecting an attractive but phony image or we look at them through rose-colored glasses, the result is the same: It's a farce.

 Who was it who first explained the idea that darkness doesn't exist?  Have you heard that before? You can't make darkness, you can only hide from the light. You can cover all the widows to keep the light away but you can't bring darkness. 

So someone might try to emphasize their candle by snuffing out yours, but it's a cheap, ineffective trick. 

There are people in my life who make me think "Oh I wish I could be more like her!" But those people aren't focusing on gaining followers, they're interested in being a follower.  People who look like Jesus. I think of my mentor. She has a gentle spirit and if your candle is sputtering she'll be the first to share hers. If you were to praise her beautiful character, she would hand the credit right over to Jesus.

How wonderful it would be if we would all just rest in His arms. If we would all focus on trying to have His perspective instead of trying to force other people to see us from the false perspective we want them to have? 

Bragging always looks like bragging. 

Jesus, help me to look more like You.