Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Their relationships are different.

Children of light are able to walk in transparency because they walk in goodness. They deal with darkness in their own lives and are able to achieve true connectedness with others, especially those who are followers of Christ. 

Their thoughts are genuine, and yet they don’t impose them on anyone. They walk in confidence with God so they are free from manipulating or coercing others. While much of the world uses people in transactional friendships, children of light have deep relationships. 

Willard describes children of light as ones who are completely noncondemning, while at the same time not participating in evil. When there is evil in a social setting, they will give the attention necessary to deal with it, but otherwise it is simply not something in which they engage. It’s not that evil doesn’t exist. It is that the goodness of the Kingdom of God is greater. 

Jesus was present in places where there was evil present as well. It could be greed, or demonic oppression, or ill-treatment of others, and he found a way to deal with the evil without condemning everyone around him. He would also find himself with others that religious people would deem “evil,” and he would deal with the hardness of hard in the religious people and stay with those cast as outsiders. It doesn’t mean he participated in any evil. He simply knew how to be present with all kinds of people. 

Every aspect of the children of light is deep

There is no “surface” action in the children of light. Their life with God is so deep that the action they take almost seem effortless. It flows out of them. Children of light don’t “try hard” to accomplish these things. They are not gritting their teeth and “powering through.” 

This is the outcome of spiritual formation in Christlikeness. This is something that is lifelong for more. Over my own life it has been “in bursts.” Then, I default to old habits. Spiritual formation for me has been lifelong and difficult. I want goodness flowing from me and the battle is ongoing. This isn’t about perfection. It is about a long journey that has ups and downs for me. Even at my age I find those struggles still forming inside me. 

I don’t want a life that is religious outwardly and a hollow struggle inwardly. My life is longing for the goodness of the Kingdom to flow through me. Building that Kingdom flow is vital to my life. 

Daily exercises of prayer and study guide me. Spiritual reading is essential. Periods of retreat into solitude and silence are necessary. I desire this model of children of light to be overflowing in my own life. 

NOTE: I have a set of Scriptures I’ve called my “ancient wells” to help me meditate on familiar Scriptures to keep my mind set on Jesus. GO HERE for my list.