The Lights Are On, But No One is Home
Have you ever heard the expression “the lights are on, but no one is home”? I had one of those moments the other day as I was making a cup of coffee using the Keurig. I got everything ready: the water, the coffee, hit the button and walked away to do something else. But I forgot the cup. No cup to catch all that delicious coffee. You see I was up and moving but I was not fully present. In fact, I was completely disconnected and distracted, which made for a mess.
Do you tend to walk through life as if the lights are on…you are up, dressed, moving around…but if others pay close attention, no one is home? We are often the walking wounded. Shut down. Numb. Distracted by our worries. Can you relate? Are you checked out, and you know it?
When I was a kid, I remember my parents saying, “leave the lights on so they will think we are home.” I used to think that was kind-of rude. If my friends come by and knock and there is no answer, they will think I am ignoring them. It was years before I understood that the “they” my parents were trying to trick were robbers who might try to take advantage of the house being empty.
If we are honest, don’t we leave the lights on, so to speak, to avoid letting others know we feel empty inside? We come to church occasionally, but we fly under the radar of people there. We do other normal things to give the impression that we engaged and okay, so no one tries to break through the walls and locked doors that we use to keep others out. It is like trying to fool the robbers into thinking we are home when we are away on vacation.
What if it turns out that leaving the lights on is not the best idea because while it may keep some bad guys away, it also keeps people from knowing they are invited into our dark places? Letting God and others see our true selves creates intimacy, an authentic closeness that by nature we crave. Jesus gave us the example in the Garden when He was honest with his friends about how he felt going through the most painful moment of His life. He also allowed God into the depths of His emotions as He wrestled in prayer. Vulnerability, being known by others, is the pathway to a deeper connection.
Is there something you need to change about the way you think about God so that you can have the courage to be known? God already knows everything you have done, thought, said, or will say; He knows all of it and yet He loves you completely. “God is compassionate, kind, slow to anger, abounding in love, gracious, forgiving, faithful, and able to redeem any heart turned towards Him.” This is a God we can feel safe with and be honest with about everything going on inside. When we come out of hiding, we are met with a God who sees, knows, and loves us. That is the truth we want to rest our hearts on most of all--that we are loved completely.
Pastor Andrea Galindo