Dec. 17, 2015

Contributed by Nadine Lagaso

Kamehameha Schools has created a set of Hawaiian-focused devotionals for the four weeks of Advent and Christmas Eve. Each devotional includes a scripture reading, message, prayer and hymn. Below is this week’s devotional message by KS Maui Kahu Kalani Wong.

Have you ever thought of what your purpose in life was? I’m not talking about what you do in your job or for your family. I’m talking about how you are supposed to make a difference in this world.  Isn’t that why we are here, to make a difference whenever, wherever, and for whomever we can? 

When we look at our lives that way, we begin to see what we do in our school, our jobs, our stations in life, in a whole other light. Those things that we do, those places where we study or work become our mission field. Our purpose is to spread God’s aloha where hate has become so prevalent.

In order to do that, we need to know true love so we can truly love. And that was Jesus’ purpose, to be aloha in our midst, to serve as a light shining into the darkness, to come to us that we might have life and life abundantly.

We are to be reflections of that light. Think of the sun and the moon. The sun produces light to disperse the darkness. The moon has no light of its own. It just reflects the sun’s light. We should always reflect Jesus’ light and allow his love to brighten this dark world.  That’s what Jesus did, he came to bring light into the world, dispersing the darkness, sharing his aloha with all the people.

In our Hawaiian language, there are several words for light. We might be familiar with the word kukui (candlenut), meaning light like the nut/oil of the tree that produces light. Other common Hawaiian terms are laʻakea (sacred light), mālamalama (bright, enlightened), and ao (light of day). Culturally, all of these terms for light or enlightenment represent all that is good. It is a symbol of life, love and righteousness.

In Ioane (John 8:12), Iesū says:

ʻO wau nō ka mālamalama o ke ao nei: ʻo ka mea e hahai mai iaʻu, ʻaʻole ia e hele i ka pouli, akā, e loaʻa iā ia ka mālamalama e ola ai. (I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life).

Here again, we are reminded that Iesū Kristo is our Mālamalama (light) and our Hoʻola (Savior) – the One who saves, heals, and gives us His “light of life.”

Luke 2:10-11 tells us that at the time of his birth, an angel appeared to shepherds who were watching their sheep in the fields nearby:

A ʻōlelo maila ka ʻānela iā lākou, “Mai makaʻu ʻoukou, no ka mea, eia hoʻi, ke haʻi aku nei au iā ʻoukou i ka mea maikaʻi, e ʻoliʻoli nui ai e lilo ana no nā kānaka a pau. No ka mea, i kēia lā i hānau ai, ma ke kūlanakauhale o Dāvida, he Ola no ʻoukou, ʻo ia ka Mesia ka Haku.”

And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Jesus’ purpose in life was to be our Savior. I love the way the Hawaiian translates the word “Savior” as “he Ola no ʻoukou” or literally “a life for all of you.” A life for all of us – for you, for me, for each of us.  Every single person, throughout time, that life is there for us.  Not something that we get only a portion of but a full share of life. That’s how abundant Ke Akua’s love is for us, that he would send his only begotten son to be “a life for all of us.” 

May Christ’s life and love shine in you, giving you hope and peace, and that you will be naʻauao (wise) with His love and light that fills your heart, then hoʻomālamalama (shines forth) into our world.

For details on the devotionals, including introduction and usage videos, see the initial I Mua Newsroom story.