“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.”
Matthew 5:13 (RSV)
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16 (RSV)
Once God makes an impact in our life, it’s natural to want to share our experience with others. The right word spoken in the right moment definitely touches a person’s heart, but our biggest impact is made with actions, more than our words. This is what lighting up a life and salting the world is all about.
Evangelism seems intimidating when we think of it as an obligation to persuade others of our faith. Most of us are not called to be salesmen, missionaries, apologists or preachers, but we are all called to be salt and light.
Maybe Jesus told us to be light for the reason that light can be seen, but not heard. His light shines through us in ways that people can see. Words mean nothing if people cannot see the light in us.
Salt flavors and preserves by mingling it into food, just as we need to mingle with the people God sends into our lives. Salt can do nothing if it’s isolated from the food it was meant to flavor or preserve. Sometimes God purposely brings people into our lives that we have very little in common with. By mingling with them, a little of our salt touches their life, and in some way, gives them a brief taste or introduction to Jesus, and remains with them as a preservative should.
I remember someone who once left a bit of her salt in me when I once had a faithless, empty heart. In my last year of high school I had a very unique opportunity for a part time job, in the advertising department of a major department store in downtown Chicago.
In those days, stores posted ads in newspapers using hand drawn illustrations that depicted the clothing fashions being advertised for the week. I had the privilege of being hired as a model to put on the outfits that were selected, and pose for the two artists in that advertising department, who drew those illustrations for the newspaper ads each week.
One of the artists, named Ruth, was a single woman in her forties who lived with her mother. She was soft spoken, but very friendly. We chatted as I would pose in each outfit, while she sketched me. I learned that she and her mother were both actively involved in their church. Ruth had an aura of calmness and peace about her. Although she never once mentioned Jesus, His light was still shining through her, and she left an impression on me.
I realize in looking back, that some of her salt and light subconsciously remained with me after leaving that job and going on to college. About two years later, I experienced a life changing moment of receiving forgiveness and surrendering my life to Jesus.
If Ruth had spoken to me about Jesus, I’m sure I would not have listened, since my heart was closed to anything about God at the time. Salt and light seem to remain with a person much longer than words do. That’s what salt does, it remains within a person, preserving truth, and bringing growth to a tiny seed of faith.
Evangelism is really nothing more than being who God made us to be, and reflecting His light and salt to others. I believe we are totally unaware of how God may be using us to be a light in our tiny corner of the world, and salt to the lives of those around us.
I briefly made a friend in college who was from Japan, named Yoshi. He was brought up in the Buddhist faith, and in my new found joy of living for Christ, I briefly shared my faith in Jesus with him. He seemed interested and I never saw Yoshi again. Recently, his path happened to cross with a brother in law of mine. Yoshi told my brother in law that he was a practicing Christian for over forty years and that I was the influence who led him to convert.
When my brother in law told me this, I barely even remembered Yoshi. It was amazing to me that he became a faithfully practicing Christian for forty years since I last saw him. I might have left a brief taste of salt and light with him, but God led him to find the way.
We don’t need to be aware of how God uses each of us to be salt or light. Just as I saw something in Ruth, Yoshi saw it in me, and God amazingly does all the rest.
This keeps me hoping that the Lord will use someone else’s light or salt to one day reach my own loved ones, who do not currently believe in Christ.
God simply expects us to be who He made us to be, and as we keep shining our light and preserving with salt, it’s the Holy Spirit who is changing the lives of people all around us.
Thank you Lord, for the unique way you use each one of us as salt and light. Please shine, flavor and preserve your truth, using us in any way you choose to. Amen