The Bible describes the Christian life as Salt and Light in the following verses:
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13 – 16)
People look at light and salt in different perspectives, depending on how the item is used. Salt can be irritating and hurtful if it is poured into an open wound or sore, and yet salt can be very useful when used to season food. Also, a light can be irritating when shined right into someone’s face, but can be very helpful when used to light the way on a dark night.
The same is true with our lives as Christians. There are those people who claim to be Christians, and yet they constantly irritate people by their rude behavior, their “holier than thou” attitude, etc. When Jesus said that we are to be salt and light, He didn’t mean that we are to irritate people and be rude to people. He meant that we are to bring others to a personal faith in Christ by the way we live our lives.
You know when you eat something salty, it makes you thirsty. The same is true for our lives. We should live in such a way that we make others thirsty to know what it is that makes us different. Thirsty to have that personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
This world is filled with the darkness of sin and selfishness. We should be a comforting light in this world of darkness. So that when people are looking for answers, looking for happiness, looking for joy, they are drawn to us! They see that we are not discouraged when problems come, that we have peace in the midst of life’s storms, that we have joy and happiness in our hearts and in our lives. People should be drawn to us by the way we live.
Notice the last verse; “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
There isn’t much that bothers me more than to see a person who claims to be a Christian acting like the world, and being an irritation and hinderance to the message of the Gospel. We are to be salt and light in this world…..but the right kind of salt and light.
Do you draw people to Jesus Christ by the way you live? Or do you turn them off to His glorious Gospel?