#TreasuresofDarkness, Day 5- John 3:19–20 Prophetic Poetry
“Why does God allow for judgment and condemnation? Because the Light, sent from God, pierced through the world’s darkness to expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed, violence, and the like. Still some people preferred the darkness over the light because their actions were dark. Some of humankind hated the light. They scampered hurriedly back into the darkness where vices thrive and wickedness flourishes” The Gospel of John’s text from the Voice version of the Bible
Clearly, in this version of the Bible from the Voice states the main reason in why the word “Blackness” or “Darkness” needs to be redefined all around. People are going to argue that it is speaking of those places in which those who hate the Living Light of Creation and from the Creator, reside.
Does darkness really equal evil, then?
If so, what about the beauty of a clear night sky, especially with the cosmos reflecting back towards us?
What about stories that many of us can recall of driving in our family car, on some long road trip, sometimes overnight, and looking out at the night sky, and realizing that the night holds both mystery and wonder?
What about the amazement of seeing the beauty of that same night or blackness, reflected in skin-and that same reflection of the mystery and beauty of Creation not only broadcasting through peoples with that richness in skin, but the empowerment and strength that shines through their eyes? Even as night falls, and we are comforted by the stillness of darkness, there is the presence of the Creator in that darkness, that Blackness.
But the reason why I posted Johnny Cash’s song is because it is not slamming Blackness or darkness per se, it means that those things done in secret-or even if they are done in secret in the light of day, behind closed doors, open in systemic racist legislation and policies, buried under stacks of papers as a way to stall equality and equity or spoken aloud in coded languages and with a stroke of a key or pen…those things done in the presence of the Creator to harm others, to break relationships or to break people…that one day, those who disregard humanity based on skin, those will have to answer and be held accountable.
Racism, is America’s original sin that is still not acknowledged, but the light is being shined on that too.
And now from the newly M.Div colleague and racial, Rev. Kelsey Brown and the original post from three years ago.
Ache;
