You’ve heard the adage “opposites attract”. People use this phrase to describe the attraction of a man and woman who have opposite personalities, but the phrase “opposites attract” is actually from the science of magnetism.
Magnets have positive and negative polarities. These polarities attract and pull objects that have an opposite polarity. In other words, a magnet’s positive pole will attract objects with a negative charge and the magnet’s negative pole will attract something that has a positive charge. So, we see in magnetism, opposites attract.
The theory of attraction of opposites is sometimes true in the spiritual world. The lost and lonely are attracted to people who are secure and complete. Someone who is sad hopes for joy. A person whose life is filled with turmoil, prays for peace. Those who are burdened with sin and guilt seek forgiveness. In the spiritual world, brokenness longs to find healing.
Think about Jesus. Jesus, a man who was strong and self-sufficient, attracted people who were broken and empty. Sinners came to Jesus because they wanted forgiveness. The needy came to Jesus because they saw a man who had what they needed. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).”
The word “rest” is an interesting word. It means “to be refreshed in order to recover strength”. Jesus can provide rest. Jesus can refresh your life and give you new vitality.
Unfortunately, the belief that opposites attract is rarely true. The truth is: people are attracted to people who are like them. Go to any high school, and you’ll see teenagers naturally group together with teens who are like them. There are cliques of jocks, nerds, and druggies.
The myth that “opposite attracts” is cancelled out by truth that “birds of a feather, flock together”.
The same was true of Jesus. Although Jesus did attract a few sinners, most of them ignored Jesus and turned away. That’s why Jesus says, “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light (John 3:19-21).”
So, on the one hand, Jesus is like a magnet who attracts those who are polar opposites—the spiritually empty, the lonely, the fearful, and those who are morally corrupt. Needy people are attracted to Jesus because they are seeking love. They want acceptance and forgiveness.
On the other hand, Jesus repels many people. There were those who can’t get away from Jesus fast enough. These people are also spiritually empty. They are lonely, fearful, and morally corrupt, but rather than come to the light, they want to continue in their darkness.
Just as Jesus says: “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14).”
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of grey area. It seems you are either someone who wants to come to the light and find Jesus’ love and forgiveness or you’re the kind of person who wants to stay in the darkness.
Which one are you? Are you attracted by the light? Or do you hide from the light?
If you’re in the darkness, how long will you stay there?
If you’re tired of living in the darkness, then it’s time to come to the light. All you need to do is turn from the darkness and come to Jesus. You do this by believing that Jesus is the son of God who died for your sins and by asking Jesus to forgive you.
Life with Jesus is a new life where you experience the love of God and the assurance that he will help you find peace, joy, and fulfillment. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and you will be a child of God forever and ever.
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