SHADOW AND LIGHT

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 194

Friday night date night returned this evening after a couple-week hiatus. And as for the date itself? We were our usual "boring" selves. We ate at our favorite restaurant, strolled through Wallymart, and then grabbed a treat from MN Eis—a hometown ice cream parlor with a Germanic twist. And that ice cream? Oh, it is so luscious and marvelously delicious.

Anyhow, on the way home, we hit play on one of our favorite podcasts. Tonight’s story was all about the recent verdict in the Karmello Anthony case. If you’ve followed the news, Anthony was the high school boy in Midland, Texas, who stabbed another boy (Austin Metcalf) in the heart at a track meet.

From our understanding, the facts of the case were never really in doubt, especially with the mountain of evidence against Anthony. It didn’t take the jurors long to decide his fate: he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years.

In the wake of the verdict, the ugliness of humanity has truly been on full display. Non-stop threats of violence—and just vile remarks period—have poured in against both families, victim and assailant alike.

As part of the podcast, the host interviewed the deceased victim’s father, Jeff Metcalf. As we listened to what he has endured as a parent—pleading for calm and peace while firmly expressing his faith in Christ—my eyes caught the full spectrum of light and shadows that nature had on display outside our window.

Parts of the sky shone with brilliant shades of blue, magnified by the downward movement of a setting sun. Yet, not even 180 degrees in the other direction, the skies were contrasted with dark shades of gray and deep blue: storm clouds that reached the highest heavens with rain pouring forth.

Below, in this dance between shadow and light, were myriads of shades of yellow and green—a dazzling portrait of the prairies and farm fields. These were juxtaposed against a bright, reflective light off Woodlake’s still waters, which mirrored the sky above like glass.

From the speakers to my ears, my soul was weighing the dark depravity of the human heart. Yet with my eyes, I was witnessing the magic of light highlighting the beauty of God’s visible creation. In that moment, all I could think of was our wondrous Lord who, when darkness covered the earth, shone the light of His Son to redeem that which was doomed to be lost.

The Holy Scriptures say that what man intends for evil, God will bring about for good. In Genesis 50:20, we hear Joseph comforting his brothers, saying:

“You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

This I know: evil lurks all around us, casting its shadow in an effort to mute or hide God’s glorious light. Yet, the light of heaven will always shine forth and disperse the shadows. In this world and present time, there will always be both shadow and light, but thanks be to God for His glorious light.

Tonight, I’m thanking God for the histogram of light and shadow showcasing our alluring landscapes, while also praying that against the evil intended in Midland, Texas, God causes good to come from this tragedy.

May the Lord draw Karmello Anthony and his family toward Him; may He bring peace and comfort to the Metcalf family; and may the Lord shine His light on those sowing chaos and hatred, and in the process, heal our land.