Sin separates us from God and from each other. I recently read about an interesting scientific phenomenon with fluorophores. Fluorophores are molecules that glow when they are excited by the right kind of light source. They’re usually found in amino acids and proteins. (There is an illustration at: http://www.iss.com/resources/tech2/.)
It’s interesting that when a light source of linear polarized light hits these molecules, it excites these elements (usually of amino acids or proteins) and they glow with a fluorescent glow. Yet, it is interesting that only those fluorophores which are aligned with the plane of polarization (that is, in synch with the light source’s polarized plane) will be excited; the others become inactive and fail to glow.
That works for me. Among God’s People, those of us who are rotating on the same plane as God’s light are likely to shine with the glow of God’s Presence. God’s Presence, the light of God’s Power, excites us when we are aligned with God through confession and obedience, but it fails to excite us when we aren’t aligned with God’s Purpose within the church.