How to Be Salt and Light in the World Today
My husband has perfected grilled steak. I would seriously choose his steak over any expensive steak house. His secret? Lots of good salt. Pink Himalayan salt is the best and he uses it liberally on his steaks.
The purpose of salt is not to make something salty, but to bring out the flavor that is already there.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet,” Matthew 5:13. I love this illustration Jesus used in His famous sermon.
Have you ever tasted horrible cooking? (Don’t tag your spouse here!) Usually, food is gross because it is bland and flavorless. We, as Jesus followers who have His Spirit inside of us, are actually called to flavor the world!
Often Christians are known for being stiff and boring. But we have the Creator of the universe living inside of us! We can live that full, abundant life in Him that brings beauty, redemption, and great flavor to our neighborhoods and society.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven,” Matthew 5:14-16.
Have you ever been on an airplane at night? Flying over a city is absolutely gorgeous. It could be pitch black outside, then suddenly the twinkling gold and silver specks come into view, growing brighter and brighter the closer to a more populated area you get.
Obviously, people in the Bible times didn’t have quite that comparison, but they still would have understood the power of a single lamp lit in the window of a home, and many lamps lighting a path for those to find their way around.
In a world growing increasingly dark, we are the light. It may be tempting to look at the evil all around us and want to hide out in our homes until it’s all over, but that is not what Jesus is calling us to do.
Being a light looks like speaking the truth in love as best and as often as we can.
It looks like shining the light of the gospel in the dark corners of the earth and of people’s hearts.
It looks like choosing to see the possibility for redemption in the most hopeless situation.
It looks like embracing those people in our community who are struggling and allowing more room at our table.
It looks like speaking the truth of the Bible over situations instead of letting our emotions react.
It looks like sharing our faith even when it feels awkward.
Being salt and light is possible because the Holy Spirit lives within us. As we grow in that revelation, everything changes. It’s not something you have to strive for, it’s simply a fruit of walking in surrender to Jesus.
We will flavor the world around us with hope, joy, and creativity. We will illuminate the darkest of places. Let’s stop focusing on the darkness and yuckiness in the world and look to Jesus to bring change to this planet, through us.
Want to learn more about how you can be salt and light in the world? Check out the four part series “Stronger Salt, Brighter Light” by atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel. Through this teaching, you will learn how to share the gospel message in a clear, concise, and simple way so you’ll be ready when God opens up opportunities in your life to share your story.
This article appeared originally on Liftable.
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