Light of The World
Walk by faith and not by sight even when it seems as if there is no source of light. John 8:12 reads, “I am the light of the world.” There is a positive takeaway in every negative challenge, and there is light in all darkness; that light is you and I.
While growing up in a Southern and Black Baptist church in Laurinburg, NC, other children and myself were made to recite bible verses at the altar on Sundays. I despised the fact I had to stand in front of the church every Sunday. Yet, my mother made sure I memorized a bible verse every Saturday night to recite on Sunday morning. For some of us black and gay men, church, religion, and spirtuality was instilled in us at an early age.
Weeks ago, a black woman asked what my perspectives were about religion as black man who also identifes as a gay man. It seemed as if she thought I would reject her approach because black and gay men men are too often ambushed, disowned, and rejected by people who too are black, including those who are supposed to love them the most: Black Christain folk.
At least I will speak for myself, I was ambushed by a “sanctified” great aunt who was obviously unsure if I had any belief in God or our good brother Jesus because she “heard” that I was gay. At the time, I could not truly understand why I felt like I was not much different from all black people because of our brown skin. But today I know we are all different because we all have different experiences amongst societal constructions.
In response to the black woman, I told her that I have a strong belief in God because God is love. You have to believe in something, otherwise you will be defeated by this cold world or rather hell on Earth. For me, God has kept me from leaning on my own understanding. I will never be afraid to honor God because nothing is impossible without God if it is truly meant to be. There is power in the blood of Jesus, and that same blood runs through the veins of blackness. I am forever grateful for God’s mercy and grace. John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God loves us so much that his only son Jesus sacrificed his black body for us, for humanity.
Through God’s mercy and grace, we are covered by the blood of Jesus who sacrificed his life for all of our sins. Sadly some believers are mistakened to believe that being gay is the worst of sins. But unlike America’s untrue ideology that all men are treated equally in the land of the free, God actually treats and loves us all the same. My sins and your sins are equivalent in the eyes of God, and the love of God shines through us all if we do not dim our lights.
In all dark spaces of isolation and uncertainty, God has never left my side or forsaken me as a son. Instead, God has shown me that our light is brighter than the sun’s yellow rays. There is too much hate in this world to further project hate on each other due to the lack of understanding.
It is essential to remind ourselves to love Black people who are too often excluded from Black culture due to their gender identity or sexual orientation. During these times, Black Love is the essence of the revolution, so we could never have enough Black Love.
Although I was pretty good at reciting the Bible verses at church on Sundays, I would always get butterflies in my stomach. Often times, the other children would repeat the same verses each Sunday, and some would say the same exact verse, “I am the light of the world”. One Sunday, I froze up under the pressure from my peers. I could not recite my gracious bible verse and I started crying in front of the church. Later I realized I could’ve kept it simple.
Just like today, we are pushed to overcomplicate things and seek understanding in great detail. However, a sense of truth and understanding can be found on the surface too. The unification of BLACK LOVE has revealed our divine purposes to explore and internalize our truth. With love, Black men and women were created in the image of God. During this time, you may find yourself in isolation while simultaneously failing to find the right words for God. But know that you and I are the lights of the world.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD credits:
Photographer: Hakeem Shabazz-Norris
Creative Director | Producer | Stylist: Melquan Ganzy
Creative Assistant: Lyric Harris
