It just hit me . . .

I don't know about you, but often when I pray and meditate, I get distracted. Often I have to write them down so that I get them off my mind. Yet this morning I had this tangent thought while meditating that intrigued me. It is a photographic analogy. One of the most important aspects of a good shot is getting the exposure right. In order to do this, you must measure the amount of light coming into the sensor. Too much light will white out the picture, and too little will cloud it over. Therefore, you have an exposure meter to measure light and therefore adjust by aperture, ISO, or shutter speed. The greater the amount of light, the faster the shutter speed. The less amount of less, the longer shutter speed, because the open shutter needs more time to expose the light available. Some shots with great light will be less than a blink, maybe 1/1250 of a second, while others with practically no light will be like a 10 or 30 second shot. Here's the analogy: In the church there is a great amount (concentration) of light. Therefore, many Christians who have their Christianity centered around programs in the church have little need for "exposure" for there is much light around. In this setting, there is only the spilt-second exposure, and that is it. However, Christians who are in the world, who are "outside the camp", are living in total darkness with their fellow coworkers, peers, classmates, and friends. In this setting, there is little to no light. Therefore, it is necessary to have a long "exposure" of the Christian for the light for Christ to be exposed. It has been said that many Christians today are overly exposed and under developed. I must say that it easy to be in a place where there is great light, for often we seem to "borrow" from that light and assume it is ours. Yet it is only when we are in total darkness that we see how bright we really are. In the church, frankly, Christians can go in and out and never get "exposed" nor Christ be "exposed", for there we are active in programs, versed in the lingo, and busy staying "religiously committed" that these work as substitutes for true exposure. In the setting of the world, in the places of rampant darkness and utter depravity, there are no props to lean on, no borrowed light to assume, no substitutes to fill in. If Christ is to be seen beautifully, he must be exposed properly, and that often takes time. Split-second Christians won't do. Half-second gospel presentations won't suffice. They need long-exposed Christians whose light, the light of Christ, shines and endures. There is nothing wrong with being very involved in the church; however, the church should not be the place where the Christian lives out their Christianity. We are meant to be Christians, not do Christianity. It is Christ in us, His being, His glory, His face that must shine, for he who said "let light shine in the darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:7). Anyway, that's my tangent. I don't want to be a split-second exposure only. For one day, we will all be exposed fully and eternally, if split-seconds are all that is known of me, then what kind of shock will I be in that day of "revelation"? Lord, expose the sin in me that which remains, that this portrait of grace will appear as a properly exposed Christian where Christ, the Light of the World, is seen and glorified. Amen.