When I was a kid, my dad would open the door to my room, turn on the overhead light, and yell, “WAKE UP! TIME FOR SCHOOL.” In retrospect, he probably didn’t yell at all, but that blaring light was screaming in my eyes.
I hated that light.
Years later, I found a small pleasure in walking into the rooms of my sons, turning on the light, and in a gentle, mild voice, softly telling them, “WAKE UP! TIME FOR SCHOOL.”
Nothing like a good dose of light to wake us up.
Several months ago, I got up in the middle of the night to …. well, never mind why I got up. But instead of turning right, I turned left … into the hall and down the stairs.
I was sleepwalking.
A good dose of light would’ve woken me up. Instead what woke me was stepping into nothing but air and falling down the stairs. Thankfully, we have a very solid, very hard front door to crash into and stop me.
I didn’t break anything except my dignity, but hoo boy, I ached for three weeks.
I have a new appreciation for light and its ability to wake me up.
During one of the Jewish festivals, Jesus proclaimed, “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). We rightly understand the truth that when we follow Jesus, He gives us the direction we need. Light illuminates. It’s a very positive statement.
But let’s consider it from the negative side. The illumination of light also shows us where not to go—like down the stairs. Nothing seems wrong with the way we live our lives, but then we encounter Jesus, and we discover that the things we thought made for a great life were only leading us in the wrong direction.
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 16:25).
The light of Jesus wakes me up to who I am—a rebellious, sinner—and leads me to life. And Jesus does more than lead me away from death, He leads me into life.
Jesus is the Light of the world. He is my light. He has shown me the way because He is the Way. Jesus walks with me, and I like where He is taking me.
This 
post supports the study “Our Need for Direction” in Bible Studies for Life.
Lynn Pryor 