Matthew 5:13-14 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”
I love salt. I use it for almost every meal. As we have chosen to eat cleanly, salting our dishes enhances the flavor.
Salt, like a compound, suppresses the bitter and enhances the sweet. It also brings out the savory flavor in a dish.
As Jesus tells His children to be the salt of the earth, fulfilling His commands will suppress the bitterness and bring out the sweet. Living a ‘salty’ life will cause us to have rich experiences that no unsaved person can.
Immediately after that, He commands us to be the light of the world. Many think we are to shine the light on all that is wrong. But that is not what the scripture says.
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
As we become more like Jesus and less like the world, seeing the ‘good works’ should become more evident. It is those good works that make the Christian life real. We can all tell others what they should be doing. But, to live out what we say becomes the real challenge.
We are to step into that light so others may see our good works. We must live humbly before those who will critique our every word, watch our every step, and seek to discredit the God we are trying to share.
Some will view God as something foreign and unpalatable. As salt, we can show that the taste is much better than they perceive. We can be that element that suppresses the bitter and enhances the sweet.
As light, we can expose the errors that the Christian life is all about what one cannot do, instead, having the liberty to do that which God can and will bless. We must testify of answered prayer, miraculous events, and promises kept.
Often, for those who know us well, the change they see is convicting enough. Being a salty Christian means we must not be afraid to speak the truth. We cannot cower and bend to the world’s pressures. We must take a stand.
It only becomes hard when we entertain inaction. Saying nothing when prompted by the Spirit to speak is not wise.
Luke 9:26 “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
We must have a proper fear of the moment when pressed to answer. The Word of God tells us to be always prepared to be ready to answer for the hope in us.
1 Peter 3:14-16 “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”
Being bold for Christ is not a simple choice one makes, and suddenly, we become a bold witness. It is a step by step process that begins with the decision not to be shy in any way. Once committed, we can follow as the Holy Spirit leads.
One successful choice breeds the confidence to take another. If we shrink from it, it is our commitment that motivates us to press on. Decide in your heart that there is no turning back.
I fear more to be unsavory, or tasteless having been made new by the blood of Jesus Christ. How can we not tell of the wonderful saving grace of which we have partaken?
Daily Manna 