THE LIGHT SWITCH
by Rev. Dr. David Popham
The light switch is the most innocuous feature on the wall.
The switch is often is the same color as the wall itself for the expressed purpose to go unnoticed so as not to interrupt our line of vision.
Yet, as I step into a room, the light switch is the first thing I search out. If it happens to be a darkened room, I give full effort to locating these switches. And once I’m bathed in the comfort of the light emitted from buzzing tubes and bulbs I will once again ignore the switch which just moments before was the solution to my unease.
Switches, we must remember, do not turn themselves on. It takes an effort from us to activate the switch. Without this effort the room remains in shadows no matter the number of light switches banked on the wall.
May we, O God, be the source of the effort to turn on the switches. May we become effortful in turning on the lights of kindness and civil discourse. May we become effortful in turning on the switch of love and respect for wellbeing.
May our efforts light the room we have entered. And by illuminating the room provide the space where others are at ease as they find themselves comforted by the light.
The Rev. Dr. David Popham grew up in Kentucky where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Knowledge from the University of the Cumberlands and his Master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was ordained as an American Baptist and granted Privilege of Call by the Eastern Association of the Southern California/Southern Nevada Conference, UCC in 1995. After serving a United Church of Christ in Utah, he became Associate Conference Minister with the Rocky Mountain Conference, and then for the Central Atlantic Conference, UCC. David received his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary and was elected by the 2019 Hawaiʻi Conference Aha Paeʻaina as Conference Minister. He is married to Kerrie Shahan and they make their home in Kailua, on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. They have two grown daughters.
