We live in a dualistic society that assumes many things about an individual based on how one lives his/her life, who they vote for, and where they live. As a Christian, failing to look beyond the surface, hinders many souls from expressing themselves and is dangerous to their mental health. When a person profoundly feels different from their culture, feelings of despair, and even depression might trigger unhealthy and damaging responses. Many fall into darkness, feeling unworthy of God’s love.
The good news of Advent is that Christ came down to look deeper into the soul. Holy actions remind us that the soul contains many colors, different hues that make up a human spirit. Faith challenges us to respond to others with the love that Jesus freely shared with those whom he encountered. I think of the woman caught in the act of adultery. The black and white thinking crowd gathered stones to put her to death, but the Savior looked beyond the surface to discover rich colors, longing for wholeness, hoping to find salvation in the kindness of the one who sat with her in the dirt. When healing hands touched hers, she discovered that she was more than what the world named her. She found the many colors of faith which reclaimed a heart for the Kingdom of God.
On this day of Advent, let us find joy in knowing that creation discovers the incredible Holy Spirit planted deep within our hearts. A black and white world can never compete with what we have inside our being. The colors of joy, hope, and love reverberate from our souls’ depth into a world in desperate need of rediscovering potential us. Let us move forward from the darkness into a world filled with many spectrums of light.
