Salt and Light

This morning I’m to stand up front of our large church congregation and explain a ministry to them. It involves Christians using creative skills to bless those in need. I’m nervous. I asked the Lord to encourage me — and am surprised that the title of today’s devotional is: “It’s time to stand up!”

However, the rest of the devotional is not about courage but purpose and this answers my prayer! The verses are the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, familiar and challenging, yet as Tozer says, not often obeyed.

“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. 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 5:13–16)

Salt is a preservative. It also makes people thirsty. This is what I want to do; make people thirsty for the blessings of God by knowing and serving Him.

Light is used to describe God in whom there is no darkness at all. We are His light in this world, and we are to let our godliness shine before others so that they will see the goodness of God in what we do — and glorify Him.

Both metaphors describe what I want to encourage. This is not so much an organized ministry or a group as it is about listening to the Holy Spirit and allowing His creative ideas flow through us. It is artists blessing others with their abilities, quilters making quilts for needy people, musicians taking their music to shut-ins and those who are lonely, crafty people making gifts that bless those who need to know they are loved.

As Tozer says, many Christians make excuses: “I am not talented . . . or creative.” “I am too busy.” “What if no one likes my work?” “I’m not good enough.” I say that God created us in His image, we are creative, and we have the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit.

In a world where many people no longer believe in God or value the church, this is one step we can take to show the reality of His love. People need to see it in tangible ways by what Christians do. We may need to make our voices heard, but what we do needs to speak also. What we do gives us the right — and the courage — to speak. It is evidence that our faith is more than Sunday church, more than talk, more than our moral stand or our condemnation of sin.

When Christians give out of their creativity, the giving is sacrificial. It is like Jesus. We are not dying for their sin but using God-given time and skills to bless them. As they wonder why we would do that, we can tell them about the love of Christ.

Lord Jesus, faith in You is not a passive thing. I cannot preach, am no longer able to teach. I can mentor others in the church, but I can also be creative in my community. I can be salt and light simply by using the skills I have for other people, not to make money, or enter contests, or gain accolades, but to draw people to the love You have for them and to bring You glory.

LATER: God is amazing. The sermon today was about building bridges with others. The music had many lines almost duplicating what I planned to say. God set me up and encouraged me by making the entire morning fit and go together. The response was also encouraging. Yup, I was totally nervous throughout, but several friends told me it didn’t appear that way. Also, part of what I did was give a quilt from Quilt of Valour to a veteran who attends our church. It is an expression of caring for those who serve our country and was very emotional. He said this quilt meant more to him than his medals. Thank You, Jesus.