"More than 400 children, mostly girls in pioneer dresses, were swept into state custody from a polygamist sect in what authorities described Monday as the largest child-welfare operation in Texas history. The dayslong raid on the sprawling compound built by now-jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was sparked by a 16-year-old girl's call to authorities that she was being abused and that girls as young as 14 and 15 were being forced into marriages with much older men.

Once you go into the compound, you don't ever leave it," said Carolyn Jessop, one of the wives of the alleged leader of the Eldorado complex. Jessop left with her eight children before the sect moved to Texas. They believed the apocalypse was near. They were also kept isolated from the outside world.

They "were born into this," said Jessop, 40. "They have no concept of mainstream society, and their mothers were born into and have no concept of mainstream culture. Their grandmothers were born into it." By Michelle Roberts: Associated Press Writer.

Some religious sects refuse to have televisions, read newspapers fearing their people will be tainted by the world if they associate with "worldly people". Many religious orders encourage their members to live apart from the world.

James 4:4 comes out with probably the strongest word of all along this line for he says very flatly and plainly, "...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God." Is this what God meant? Was he talking to people in the church or in the world? Are we all to live like the converts at the compound in Eldorado Texas—separate from the world?

It may keep those in seclusion from seeing first hand the immorality of the society around them, but they still have human nature. And what happens when young or old members of a cult confront the "real world". According to two young men interviewed by Dr. Phil who were caught doing "wrong", they said they were kicked out of the compound and not allowed contact with family members. They were hurt and confused. The boys were defenseless against the pulls of the world, having never dealt with any of those issues. Another problem with being separate from the world is that leaders hungry for power and control have a ready group that wants to please God and are willing to do as the human leader directs. They have been led to believe they have been set apart in order to be pure. This scenario makes its members ripe for abuse as their activities are kept from the eyes and ears of the society around them.

Sometimes when we come into the body of Jesus Christ we too try to isolate ourselves from the world. But did Jesus mean for us (or others) to isolate ourselves by barricading and barring the door against all outsiders.

It does seem simpler to withdraw, to seek our own crowd, to create our own little separate world—a world that is as complete as we can make it with recreation and education and all that we need from the cradle to the grave. We create our own smug, airtight circle in which we live and which we have set up to run competition to the "worldly" world outside.

My children were brought up in the church…I too thought I could immerse them in the cocoon of the church so they would be safe and secure from temptation. I tried to make sure they had lots of contact with other church children and attended many church activities. But being safe from their own human nature is impossible. God expects us to live in this world to be tried and tested, while learning not to partake of its sinful ways. But it’s still a choice. Listen to God’s words: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That you may love the LORD thy God, and that you may obey his voice, and that you may cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days…" (Deuteronomy 30:19,20). Does that sound like seclusion? God expected his nation Israel to be a light to other nations.

God wants us to be a "light" to the world…how is that possible if we are locked within a compound or a church building and no one sees our good works.

We see examples of letting their light shine with Moses, Joseph and Daniel and his three companions who were taken from their families, their comfort zone and shoved into the midst of pagan nations. Yes, God had great plans for each of them. Note that these young people hobnobbed with the highest offices of the nation. Moses was highly educated in the "pagan world" but maintained his trust in God. Joseph served as a slave and remained faithful to the tests and trials God allowed him to go through and became second highest under Pharaoh in the most powerful nation of the time.

By trusting God, Daniel along with his obedient friends, became rulers in kingdoms of Babylon and Persia. They served in the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar and several rulers who followed Nebuchadnezzar. What made them successful "lights"? The four young men answered "in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom" (Daniel 1:20). Daniel continued to believe in his God and act on those beliefs throughout his exile in a foreign kingdom, but he did not preach his religion. The kings recognized the true God because of these men’s godly behaviour and by their refusal to bow to other gods. Daniel was an upright man and gave credit where credit was due to God. Daniel and his friends are fine examples of how saints are to act in the face of trouble. Their "light" surely lit up the dark world and their example lights our path today.

We too can be a light in this dark world without compromising our relationship with God and without being a friend of the world. When going to university as a mature student I found many opportunities to reflect God’s ways. Students and teachers recognized that I was different from others…in the way I talked (not swearing) and how I viewed various topics differently than most students and in observing holy days and Sabbaths. What an awesome privilege and responsibility to be a "light". I also had a legitimate reason to write articles or talk about various topics in the Bible as we were studying and discussing the "great" books. In one class discussion the students were saying how ruthless and unforgiving the God of the Old Testament was…that He enjoyed killing people and that his laws were much too severe. I challenged them to find laws they did not agree with or found too harsh…they could not find any. I pointed out that God’s way made sense as His laws are based on a law of love which would prevent war, murder and most of humanity's troubles, if it were taught and obeyed. 

We can be a good neighbour, a good parent, a good child, a good employee; I think God expects us to stand tall, put on a friendly smile, pull our shoulders back as we step forward to meet the world, to give an encouraging word, or do an act of kindness to others. Remember the Good Samaritan. We can show a positive example of the blessing that comes from a life of love and service. We can demonstrate by our actions that God's way is best and could bring happiness to everyone. In this way each of us can truly be a light.