Let Us Walk in the Light of Life! By Jiyoung Kim

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(John 8:12, NIV)

The Son of God came into the world in a dark time when there was no hope under the rule of the Roman Empire. The great salvation project of the omnipotent God for humanity began with the baby Jesus, who was born in a small village of Bethlehem. Jesus was the Messiah to save this sinful world. Christ began not in the form of a great king with powerful kingship but in a place where he was born and had no proper place to sleep. A light came to the world that seemed to be just a little life.

Worries and sighs about climate change are increasing every day. Each year, we are increasing the highest temperature in the world. We are probably living in a time when the earth’s suffering is worst. I feel it is impossible to stop this huge flow of climate change. We want to avoid the responsibility of not managing this beautiful earth that God gave us. But we cannot. Nothing is changed by worrying and a lot of sighs. We should act however we can. Changing must then begin. If God just had loved and worried about the world, salvation history would not have been accomplished. It was only begun and completed because God sent Jesus, the light of the world.

We can be frustrated with “how can I stop this huge flow of climate change with my own efforts?” But one person is important. Walk a short distance and ride a bike a little further. When cold, don’t turn the heater all the way up and wear short sleeves, but use a minimum of heat and multiple layers of clothes. When it is hot, let us make the cool air with a minimum of energy and cold water, not just wearing a cardigan over the air conditioner. When going to the market, carry your own shopping bags, not using lots of plastic bags.

Although my efforts and actions are small, it is accumulated and communicated to other people and then we act together. These little actions can be gathered, piled up, and can be a starting point to stop the huge flow.

We must fight the way we are accustomed to. We must choose uncomfortable actions.

Day by day.

Little by little.

We must go one step forward.

The work of salvation of God also began there, from the manger where baby Jesus was laid. God’s amazing plan was perfect, and the plan of salvation continues today. The light of salvation of Jesus came to twelve disciples, leading to the Early Church, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Let us talk to those who say there is no hope. We are hope. We are the little Christs. It is Christmas! It is time to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus as a new sunrise tomorrow. Let us pledge that we will be reborn with Jesus as the rising sun. Join the work of God ‘s salvation and live a life of light in this darkened world. Let us go on believing that the little lights of each person will gather and together become a great light to illuminate this darkness.

Jiyoung Kim is an Educational Ministry student at Columbia Theological Seminary. She is the mother of four boys and is an expert in ecological Christian Education.