In John 9, we find a story about Jesus and a blind man. As He and His followers went to pass the blind man, one of Jesus’ disciples asked, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” The general thought of society was that if something as awful as blindness happened to a man, then it must be a result of sin or wrongdoing.

Jesus’ answer surprised them. He replied, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus proceeded to heal the man using spit, clay, and the water from a fountain (well, that and His miraculous power).

Rather than rejoicing with the man whose eyes were enlightened, the religious leaders accused Jesus of wrongdoing because He had healed this man on a special holy day called the Sabbath. He broke their societal traditions. They started to speak against Jesus saying, “This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”

The God-glory of this miracle was completely missed by everyone around Jesus and the once-blind man. They all missed the point and it’s really easy to look back on the story and point out how proud and haughty the religious rulers were and how “judgy” the disciples were, but don’t we do the exact same thing today in our Christian circles?

Jesus came to be a Light. He tells us “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness,” in John 12:46.

He’s also called us to be the light. Matthew 5:14 tells us, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Because Jesus is the Light and we are to be the light, we have to believe that we were never made to shine only into our own darkness.

There’s a world full of lonely girls and women out there. Most of them are sitting in the darkness of their lack of faith. Many of them are sitting in the darkness of their shame and regret over sins in their past and present. So, so many of them are sitting in the darkness of their loneliness, their depression, and their anxiety. Please don’t leave them in darkness.

On Instagram yesterday, I saw a question posted by GEM Girls Club’s account: how are you looking out for the lonely? In the post, they encouraged their followers to invite those who look lonely to just sit with them at lunch. If we know that darkness can never produce light and only light can dispel darkness, then I have to ask: how are you reaching out into someone else’s darkness?

We, as women in general, tend to hold closed circles of friends and acquaintances. We attempt to keep our light in very tight comfort zones. But light was never meant to be contained: Jesus always intended for our light to be shared.

When’s the last time you said hello to the girl who was standing in the corner? When’s the last time you invited that woman out that you know has been going through a tough time lately? When’s the last time you looked on purpose for someone who looked a little lost in the crowd? When’s the last time you checked on that quiet girl that never involves herself?

When’s the last time you shared your light?

Don’t be a Pharisee saying, “Well, we’ve never invited new people into our group: we’ve always been friends with just each other.” Don’t be a disciple saying, “Well, if that woman wanted to, she could help herself by making better choices. She could always come join us if she wanted to.”

Be a Jesus asking, “How can I help? How can I love? How can I change this life today?”

Bring the light to another woman’s darkness.