2nd Sunday: You can't go wrong with Yoda

I have an intention for Advent season which is "to notice."  Notice: ways to slow down; pay more attention to the strangers I encounter every day; the smallest of things to be grateful for; just noticing the Divine during my ordinary day.  Some days I remember my intention; other days....ehh, not so much.  Today, I was reminded of Advent when I read the words "light saber!"  (Score 1 for "noticing" today!)  I'm reading Just Courage, written by Gary A. Haugen.  Gary is the President of International Justice Mission. (Please click on that link right now and read about their important work in the world). Gary writes:
    "...When we read that Jesus calls us "the light of the world, " we picture ourselves more as a nice nightlight that will comfort the kids and keep us from stubbing our toe, than as a brilliant light saber that is heroically contending with the great evil of the world and driving out swathes of darkness." 

I love his thoughts about all of us as the light of God in the world.  And I think there is room for both: being the light for those who are hurting and simply need the comfort of knowing someone is there, and being the light the boldly pierces the darkest, as Gary said, evils of the world.

And how does that stellar picture of Yoda fit in?  Well, I'm a huge Star Wars fan and immediately thought of Yoda when I reading.  Yoda is a bad ass without a light saber, but with one?  He's the ultimate bad ass.  Perhaps he is the perfect leader for showing us how to bring our light into the world.  Or maybe....I just wanted to work in a picture of Yoda to my blog.

    "In Him was life, and that life was the light of all all the world.  The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:4-5