Salt and Light

Jesus came to be and bring many things to this earth.  Two of my favorite things that He is to me, are salt and light.  Salt is a seasoning that most of us won't eat without putting on our food.  It just makes food taste better, it tears down the toughness of food and adds flavor to it.  Light dispels darkness wherever it is.  You can't stop darkness from disappearing when a light shines in the midst of it.


With Jesus fused into my heart, my spirit, my soul, then I, too, bring salt and light to my world.  If we are to be Jesus in the earth and to touch people the way that He did, then we must be flavorful; we must dispel darkness with our presence.  So often, the Church stays so out of touch with what's really going on out there in our world.  We stay huddled up amongst ourselves in our own community, being self righteous and afraid of letting the world touch us.  Jesus wasn't afraid to let hurting sinful people affect Him.  He was moved by sinners and people in pain.

We don't want people who don't "fit the mold" to be in our churches.  They must not be engaged in any messy lifestyle or habit or have differing political beliefs or have any doctrine other than our own particular church doctrine.  But you see, God has a plan and a purpose for this earth and it's people.  The only plan God has for making disciples of men is through the Church.  There is no "plan B".


So if we don't take our salt and light out into the world; if we hold onto it just for ourselves, then how will His plan be fulfilled.  We have Christians who have been sitting in our churches who have a lifetime of experience with the love of God; 20, 30, 40, 50 years of knowing the grace, the forgiveness, the fellowship of God.  Are we going to take it with us to the grave or are we going to share it with those who are in darkness and pain?

God is not so much after our gifts and talents as He is after our lives!  He wants our lives to be lived bumping into and rubbing elbows with those out there in the world who need a touch from Him.  Don't be afraid to be salty and flavorful to those around you.  Don't be self righteous and boring.  Go into the dark places and bring joy and light into the mix.  I'm not saying that we are to embrace sin, but we should embrace the sinner.  We should extend the love of God in such a way that it looks flavorful and full of light and grace.  A touch from us should feel like a touch from God.


Take some time and study the people in Scripture who Jesus spent His time with.  Notice that the times  when He rebuked or chastised someone, it was usually a religious person who was making judgments and casting dispersion on people who had not yet experienced the love and grace of God.  Don't be afraid to be around those who aren't like you or those who say they don't believe what you believe.  Make life tasty and flavorful!  Take the light of His love with you and dispel the darkness!  Just be salt and light in a hurting dark world.  Lives will be changed...maybe even yours!


From His lap,