Curse the Darkness or Light a Candle

When Things Go Wrong, You Have Two Choices: Curse the Darkness or Light a Candle

When the world feels heavy, when headlines are discouraging, communities feel divided, and uncertainty seems to linger - we are often faced with a choice. We can curse the darkness, pointing out everything that feels broken and wrong. Or… we can light a candle.

That idea isn’t new. Jesus spoke directly to moments like these when He said:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

—Matthew 5:14–16

Light doesn’t deny the existence of darkness. It simply refuses to let darkness have the final word.

So what does it actually look like to be light - right here, right now, today?

1. Connect with Your Neighbors and Community

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to bring light is through connection. Ask people how they’re doing and then truly listen. Not to respond. Not to correct. But to understand.

We all carry different experiences, fears, and perspectives. At our core, we share a deep desire to feel seen and heard. When we take the time to listen well, we remind others that they matter. Sometimes light looks like a long conversation on the porch, a check-in text, or simply holding space for someone else’s story without trying to fix it.

2. Be Informed and Be Curious.

Being the light also requires humility. Be willing to learn about the darkness rather than making assumptions about it.

In a world driven by sound bites and headlines, it’s easy to form opinions based on a single voice or article. But media often shares only pieces of a story, sometimes shaped to fit a particular narrative. Choose curiosity over certainty. Read broadly. Listen to multiple perspectives. Seek to understand the pain and hurt beneath the surface.

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

-Proverbs 18:17

Being informed doesn’t mean agreeing with everyone, it means caring enough to look deeper.

3. Let Your Actions Speak

We are so often judged by our actions, not our intentions, and Scripture reminds us that faith is visible through what we do.

“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

-James 2:17

Light shows up in the small, ordinary moments. Hold the door open. Smile at a stranger. Buy coffee for the person behind you in the drive-through. Be the friend who listens without defending or offending. These acts may feel insignificant, but they quietly remind people that goodness still exists all around them.

Little lights add up!

4. Talk to Your Children Before the World Does

Our children are watching, always! They notice what we say, how we respond, and what we choose to ignore.

Talk to them about what’s happening in the world before their friends, schoolmates, or social media do. Help them understand truth, complexity, and compassion. Kids often form opinions based on a single piece of information; as parents, it’s our responsibility to guide them with honesty, wisdom, and hope.

Teach them that darkness exists, but so does light. And more importantly, show them how to be it.

Darkness will always try to convince us that our light doesn’t matter. But one candle can change the atmosphere of an entire room.

So today, when things go wrong, when the world feels overwhelming, what will you choose?

Will you curse the darkness?

Or will you light your candle?

The world is watching. Your community is watching. The children are watching. And they need the light you carry.