Every Sunday I provide for my congregants a time of reflection. This is a term that I use instead of the standard preacher lingo “sermon”. I actually borrowed the term from one of my Lay Leaders who said that she didn’t feel comfortable giving a sermon, as she wasn’t a trained pastor. Therefore, she thought that the word “reflection” was more in keeping with what she was doing with regard to the scripture readings for that week. I thought about it for a moment or two and had to agree with her that I was reflecting on what God had spoken to me through the scriptures each week as well.

We are all healthier and more well-adjusted people when we take time to reflect. We are living in a very reactive time in our world where folks “fly off the handle” with the least amount of provocation. Folks take issue with even gentle teasing now days – they get defensive over the smallest disagreement or difference of opinion.

People fill their days responding online with ever more outrageous statements when someone pokes at them.

We have forgotten how to take a moment, count to ten slowly, reflect on what the consequence of our next actions might be, and then proceed.

Reflection time allows us to bring needed light into a situation instead of just heat. Edith Wharton wrote about the importance of reflection. She noted that, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” When we are reflective, we listen intently to what is being said or re-read what has been written. We then muse about how what is written or said is either true or false based on our beliefs and experience. Finally, we formulate a response which might be to shed some light on the statement with new information, to reinforce the validity of the statement or to simply remain quiet and unengaged – not everything needs our response or commentary.

The blessed assurance that we have as children of an unconditionally loving God is that God has a way of shedding light into the darkness of our world. A God who is endlessly forgiving of us when we fly off the handle or lose our religion (as they say around here).

While there are certainly some scriptures in the First Testament that seem to profile a very reactive and violent God, the overwhelming majority of scriptures in the Bible, Tanakh and Qur’an show a God who is reflective.

A God who gives appropriate consequences for our sins and never abandons us. When we follow this way of being with each other, then we reflect the healing light of God into our world.

Reflecting the light of God’s love into the world is one of our main duties as believers. Too often, the rhetoric coming out from some religious leaders of all kinds is not reflective of this understanding. Zealots and religious nationalists from every doctrine suggest that they are reflecting the views of God, when in reality they are only reflecting their broken misunderstanding of what scripture actually teaches. Listening to and following this kind of teaching reflects only darkness and division, never the light of healing and love.

You may be wondering how to get more reflective and less reactive in your life. For me it has meant much less time spent with information and people that do not generate or reflect God’s light. If what I am hearing or reading begins to manipulate my emotions or cause me to become distressed, then I stop and reflect on what is going on in me and why. I also find that spending time immersed in scripture and reflecting on what it means to my life each week, keeps me balanced and better able to reflect God’s love light back into the world. This week, if you’re feeling reactive, I invite you to a worship service. There you will find people reflecting on all that God has done for them, and how God accompanies them throughout their days. Reflecting on God’s grace is a great way to shine the light of God into our world.

Blessings for your journey this week!

The Rev. Albrant is pastor of Mineral and Mount Pleasant United Methodist churches.