My brother is almost a Marine. People who know me are well aware of this, as I am constantly posting statuses asking people to pray for him and send encouraging thoughts as he finishes boot camp. As I write this, he is going through the Crucible, the hardest and most intense part of the journey to becoming a Marine. The Crucible consists of team-building and Marine building exercises. It is 54 hours long, takes the recruits 48 miles carrying 45 pounds of gear, with 36 stations of 29 problem-solving activities on 6-8 hours of sleep. I know he can do it, and I’m not scared for him. It kills me, however, to know that my baby brother, the little boy I’ve watched grow up his entire life, is going through hell right now and I can’t swoop in as his big sister and protect him.

About the only useful thing I can do right now as he goes through the Crucible is a light a candle for him. It has become a tradition for those who love a Marine to light a candle, though mine is electronic because I don’t want to burn my apartment down, and keep the candle lit the entire time your recruit is going through the Crucible. It’s meant to guide your recruit home and send them love and encouragement as they face this final test on their road to becoming a United States Marine.

I’ve been thinking a lot, though, about the candle and what it represents in a larger context. John 8 talks about Jesus as the light of the world. Verse 12 says, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Maybe it’s just because all I’ve been able to think about the last few days, but I think the Marine Crucible can be compared to a Christian’s walk in this world. Now before I explain, please don’t think I’m devaluing The Crucible. It’s a high honor, extremely difficult, and I’m so proud of my brother through all of it.

Just as the candle I lit was supposed to be a light to guide my brother home, Christ is the candle, the light of the world, meant to guide us to our heavenly home. We can’t go to that home right away. We have to go through life, let’s say the spiritual Crucible, and endure countless temptations, struggles, obstacles, and blocks. I light a candle so my brother will (figuratively) not walk in darkness and will be guided home. As John 8 says, if we follow Christ we won’t walk in darkness. Yes the world around us may be dark, but keeping our eyes fixed on the one who created the world, the light of the world, will lead us through this darkness. When we cross that threshold into the kingdom, just as when my brother crosses that threshold at the Iwo Jima statue, taking him from a recruit to a Marine, we have completed our journey. We have survived life’s Crucible.

I’ll be honest. There’s a lot going on in my life and in the world around me today that breaks my heart and hurts me as I know other people are hurting. Some days the pain is so unbearable that I can’t do anything but cry out to my Heavenly Father praying for my heart and our world. And I know that Christopher right now is going through a physical version of that. But I know my brother will complete the Crucible. I know he can get through it. In all of his letters he keeps saying “I know I can do this, I’ve got God on my side, He will carry me through.” My brother knows the truth, he’s keeping his eyes on the light of the world. I may have a candle to guide him home, but it pales in comparison (literally, because it’s not a very strong light) to Jesus, the true light of the world.

My brother holds this hope in his heart. My brother knows the truth. He can endure the Crucible, and that encourages me. That gives me the hope and encouragement that I can endure in this world despite all the pain and brokenness and darkness. Christopher is keeping his eyes on the light of the world as he goes through the hardest thing he’s ever done. The faith of my brother reminds me to look to the Light of the world as I go through life’s darkness and pain.

Dedicated to my brother who (as of yesterday) completed the Crucible and is now a United States Marine. I love you Kikky!