By Gwendolyn Blue, World Church Diversity and Inclusion Team, co-chair

I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

When I think of bringing light, I think about those persons who take actions that reflect and illuminate God’s love, care, and hope for God’s creation. Sharing their time, talents, and compassion, these individuals are beacons of light that inspire others and create a ripple effect of goodwill. Two such persons, very different in background and life experiences, come to my mind as light bearers: Carrie Blue and Barbara Higdon.

Carrie Blue, my mom, reached out to children in our neighborhood expressing God’s love in tangible and intangible ways. She, along with my dad, took children to picnics and rides through scenic areas of our city focusing on God’s beauty in nature. During Vacation Bible School and in other encounters, my mom nurtured their spiritual and personal development. A few school friends of mine were often included with me to attend events they might otherwise have missed. Decades later, friends and acquaintances have told me these simple acts of kindness and compassion impacted their lives in heartfelt ways, and they felt embraced in loving care.

Dr. Barbara Higdon, my American Literature instructor at Graceland College in the mid ‘60s, used her skills as an educator to inform, uplift, and inspire intellectual growth and her commitment as a truth teller to clarify the work of supporting right relationships among diverse persons. In class Dr. Higdon challenged us to think critically about the literature we were studying and thereby fostered a belief in our own capabilities. She also shared with us her witness of the struggles with and resistance to injustices that others our age were engaged in.

Dr. Higdon formed a panel consisting of me, another young Black woman from a northern USA state and a young man from India to talk to students and adults in a nearby community about societal racial problems. Her creation of this opportunity for us to tell our stories meant that our stories had value, and this was personally empowering.

Each of these women brought light in different ways. The question for us is “How will we bring light?”

Prayer Phrase

“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

Spiritual Practice

Light

Close your eyes and become centered with your breath. As you breathe gently in and out, reflect on the statement, “The light of God is in all things.” The light has a bright, soft beauty and radiates God’s healing love. The light of God reaches you and permeates you with a deep sense of peace. Rest in the light as it surrounds and fills you. Thank God that you live in God’s light, and it lives in you.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.