By: Jackie Warner
Voice of Light 1: Understanding the True Meaning of Love
There comes a time when the heart begins to ask deep questions — questions about what love truly is. Not the kind wrapped in red hearts and roses, not the kind that fades after Valentine’s Day, but the kind that transforms, convicts, and heals.
We hear, “Love yourself.” We hear, “Love your neighbor.” We hear, “Love covers a multitude of sins.”
But in a world filled with division, exhaustion, and uncertainty, we must pause and ask: Do we really understand love?
Scripture reminds us: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8) and “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
Love is not a moment. Love is not a holiday. Love is a lifestyle — a light we are called to carry.
Voice of Light 2: The Radiance of African American History
February also brings African American History Month — a time to honor a legacy far too vast to fit into 28 days. Our history is 365. Our story is woven into the very fabric of this nation.
African American history is a light that has never gone out.
It is the light of ancestors who endured the unimaginable. The light of leaders who stood when standing was dangerous. The light of families who built, prayed, and persevered. The light of a people who refused to let darkness define them.
Our history is a testimony of love in action: Love that resisted oppression. Love that protected community. Love that believed in freedom. Love that hoped for a future not yet seen.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
African American history is not just Black history — it is American history. It is human history. It is the story of light breaking through darkness.
Voice of Light 3: Love as the Light That Breaks Division
We are living in unprecedented times. Our nation feels fractured, weary, and overwhelmed. Division is loud. Hate is loud. Fear is loud.
But love — real, God‑centered love — is louder.
“Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14)
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3)
Love is not weakness. Love is not silence. Love is not avoidance.
Love is strength. Love is clarity. Love is obedience to God.
When we release hate, when we remove the things that divide us, when we lift one another up through Scripture and truth, we become carriers of light in a dark world.
This is the same light that fueled the Civil Rights Movement. The same light that carried our ancestors through storms. The same light that still has the power to heal our nation.
Voice of Light 4: The Fig Tree and the Light Within
This is where love becomes personal.
Jesus approached a fig tree full of leaves — full of presentation — but bearing no fruit. It looked alive, but it had nothing real to offer.
“Every tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44).
“You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16).
“I chose you… to bear fruit — fruit that will last” (John 15:16).
So we must ask ourselves:
Am I producing fruit or just producing leaves?
Am I shining light or just reflecting an image? Am I living God’s Word or simply displaying it? Am I representing Christ or performing for people?
African American history teaches us that fruit is not appearance — it is action. Fruit is not performance — it is perseverance. Fruit is not presentation — it is purpose.
This is not condemnation — it is invitation. An invitation to authenticity. An invitation to transformation. An invitation to let God’s light shine from within.
Voice of Light 5: Becoming Light‑Bearers in Our Generation
So what does it mean to be a Voice of Light? It means to honor the God who is love. It means to carry the legacy of those who came before us. It means to let love be the center of our identity, our relationships, and our communities.
As we honor African American History Month, as we navigate a divided nation, we are called to be light‑bearers.
Love that lifts. Love that listens. Love that heals. Love that produces fruit. Love that reflects Christ.
Because the world doesn’t need more leaves — it needs more fruit. It needs more love. It needs more light. It needs more of God shining through us.
By: Jackie Warner
Career Development Facilitator
“Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters
