Salt. The wonderful, almost mystical item. Added in moderation, it enhances the flavor of the food it is added to. Without things, according to those on a salt-free diet, things taste bland. Add too much, things become inedible. Used rightly, it can preserve things. As Christians, we are being called to be the salt of the earth. Enhance the things around us, preserve the things around us. And not be so invasive that we make things distasteful. But are we really doing that ? Am I really doing that ? And if we are, how does it show?
I have been burdened lately. I have been burdened heavily as a matter of fact. As I have a lot of time in the evenings now to read and study, I have been reading several books on the Christian hope and our gospel. Not in the least obviously in trying to write the little series on Heaven and Hell I published in the last several weeks.
And as I was reading, I started to come back to several scripture passages. Here’s a short list
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? “ Matt 5:13.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:35-40
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 1Tim 6:17-18
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17
And then my favorite book in the Bible. The first letter of John.
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1John 1:6-8
All these gospel passages are calling us to be different somehow. To be set apart. To walk in the light, to take care of those around us. Becoming a Christian should have a profound impact on the way we live, the way we treat others. It should be obvious in our day-to-day behavior. But this seems to be an emphasis we have somehow lost in our focus. We focus on converting people, on saving people, on getting people to say the “magic prayer”. Not that those things aren’t important, but I have started to reflect on how we do this. Our usual approach goes something like this:
Q: “Are you saved ?”
A: “What do you mean?”
Q: “Well, do you know Christ?”
A: “I know who he is yes”
Q: “Have you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior”
A: “What do you mean?”
And then we go on to explain how we are all sinners, how we are all doomed, how one can escape God’s just wrath and punishment by accepting Christ who took our penalty on the cross. And that if one accepts this, then you are saved.
And I feel this is doing our gospel, our true good news a disservice. We have boiled down our entire Christian gospel to four steps.
I was wondering what would happen if we all start living our lives truly as the Scriptures are commanding us to do. What if we were all self-controlled, patient, loving, kind, hospitable. What if we were to avoid slander and walk away from the water cooler when the gossip starts. I’ve seen too much of that not happening. Even in Church communities, even with Christian co-workers.. If our lifestyle doesn’t separate us or set us apart from those around us, how can one tell whether we are Christians or not. I would much rather like to envision a scenario like this:
Q: “Hey, I noticed you are always hopeful and upbeat. Even in the midst of challenge. And I’ve noticed you are always kind and helpful, even to those people no-one else likes. How do you do that ?”
A: “Oh.. because my hope is find not here and now, but in Christ.”
Q: “Christ? You mean that Christian thing?”
A: “Yup”
Q: “I thought being Christian was all about going to Church and stuff. And being hateful against those that don’t agree with you.”
A: <Laughing> “No it’s actually about loving each other as ourselves. And treating everyone equally and kindly, realizing I have as many flaws as anyone else. And that there is a God who cares and actually did something for me so I don’t have to fret about being perfect all the time. Than Christ dies for that reason. That when I fail, He is there. That He is my hope.”
See the difference ? The first one is where we have to pursue others and convince them there is something good. The second one is where we show there is something good and invite them in.
When I read these Scripture passages and look in the mirror, I shamefully admit I fall short in this every single day. We all do. You could call that “sin”. And it’s why Christ came. We cannot diminish the good news to some good teaching about being lovey-dovey to our neighbor. There is more to the gospel than that. But if we don’t start by loving our neighbor, I feel we’re fighting an uphill battle in trying to convince those of the good news we have received.
So perhaps, as you and I go about this week, let’s focus on treating those around rightly. Walk away, or even speak up, if the slander starts. Let’s not just pay Him lip-service on Sunday, but full-out me-service in our actions all week long. Perhaps then we’ll find our flavor for the gospel again and be truly the salt of the earth and light for the world.