If Not Me…
The other day, I was with a group of men studying the Beatitudes in Matthew. You know, blessed are the…fill in the blank. Just after that section, we’re reminded that we are salt and light. Our study took us through the primary attributes of both. It was a convicting study because of the one glaring conclusion I came away with. And it’s represented in today’s title. The missing part, the convicting part comes after the ellipsis: Then Who?
I don’t mean this to be a diatribe against today’s religious system, but when the facts about salt and light are considered and applied to our lives, it can’t help but sting just a little.
In Christ in Men…Today (Brokenness, pg. 32),
I referred to Rebecca Manley Peppert’s book Out of the Salt Shaker & into the World. Her point is simple. Salt doesn’t do any good while it’s in the shaker. If we wait until our shaker is polished and shiny before we share the gospel with anyone, our motive is wrong. When we want something salted, we don’t care what the shaker looks like.
And what about “light”? Jesus told His listeners (my paraphrase), “You don’t light a light and then cover it up. You place it where it can light up the room.”
Fellow travelers,
the Bible tells us we are salt and light. Are we comfortable in our shaker? Do we throw a blanket over our light? If we pass the entrance exam for admittance to heaven (faith in Jesus Christ alone), we are accountable to God for a life lived so salt and light are spread wherever we go, whatever we do.
How’s that working in your life? Do people even know you’re a Christian, I mean a living, breathing, fire eating representative of Jesus? If not, ask yourself WHY? Are you trying to fit it? Why? Do you not know enough? Why? You do know, don’t you, that God will ask you these questions someday. Might want to have an answer prepared that doesn’t sound like a lame excuse.
Today’s thoughts
are purposely short. The message is simple and, I hope, clear. I pray you’ll ponder (I love that word) what I’ve said and take it to heart. Yes, Jesus forgives us when we don’t “spread”. But wouldn’t it be better to amass rewards for doing it His way? Thanks for reading.