Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Are you afraid of the dark? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself repeatedly over the last couple days.  See, it’s VBS week here at St. Andrews, and I’ve worked a couple of late nights (by choice!) where I’ve been walking around the building by myself in the dark, and crossing from church to office (which is located next door) and back.  I can’t lie to you. I managed to totally freak myself out both nights.  When the building is empty, you hear all the sounds.  I don’t know what the sounds are, but they happen.  I can’t even tell you how many times I got scared by my own reflection in the glass of the doors and framed artwork.  I may have even asked aloud, “Is this whole building made out of glass?!” after about the tenth time I jumped. Embarrassing.

Am I afraid of the dark? I was doing a serious analysis of myself last night, as I made the walk from the church to the office take only 3 steps, instead of the usual 5 (Again, embarrassing.) I mean, I do just fine in my house.  I don’t need a princess nightlight in my bedroom.  I don’t need a light on in the kitchen overnight.  So if it’s not the dark, what is it that’s making my heart race and putting me on edge?  What makes me feel like I need to walk a little faster when it’s dark?  It could just be being alone in a huge building that’s making me uneasy, or it could be what darkness represents.  Either way, for the first time in probably forever, I actually stopped to think about my feelings about the dark.

Ironically enough, our week at VBS is all about how Jesus is the light of the world, and how he overcomes all the darkness in our lives. Each day, the kids will be learning a “Bible Point,” a short phrase that helps them remember the take away point of the day.  It’s phrased, “Jesus gives us ____________. Follow him!”  Hope, Courage, Direction, Love, and Power.  Those are the things we want the kids to remember from the week, that when life is tough or scary, Jesus is there to give them hope, to give them courage, to give them direction, to love them, and to give them the power they need to overcome.  That’s what VBS is for.  It doesn’t matter that our decorations don’t cover our whole building, or look like the pictures.  It doesn’t matter if it rains, and the games have to be adjusted to be played inside.  It doesn’t matter if the crafts end up lost or the songs are forgotten.  What matters is that the kids leave this place on Friday with a greater understanding of just how much Jesus loves them.

Am I afraid of the dark? Probably yes.  But do I know I have a savior that will guide me through it (both literal and figurative darkness)? Absolutely.

Happy VBS Week!