SALT AND LIGHT
Today's reading: Matthew 5-7
"You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world--like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see." Matthew 5:13-14 NLT
(I will not consider it to be a coincidence that this is the passage of Scripture I am studying for Sunday School this week AND it comes up in my daily reading plan. I will consider it something to be taken note of, to be taken to heart, to be taken slow and steady as I process and ingest it.)
When I taught in the AWANA Cubbie program, I always had a set routine I would use when meeting a new child (ages 3-5).
As the parent would bring the little to our classroom for the first time, I would bend down and greet them eye to eye. I would introduce myself. I would shake their hand and I would tell them about all the wonderful things we would be doing in our time together.
Then I would stand and welcome the parent. I would ask about any allergies or medical issues we needed to be aware of. Then I would ask the parent to tell me a few things about their little guy/gal.
More than once I had a parent tell me, 'Johnny is shy'. I would attempt to stop them before completing the sentence. If I couldn't, my response was...'Let's not put that label on them in this classroom. Let's speak grander, bigger, greater words over them than that.'
The parents would always smile--either from being encouraged or in a cynical, but kind, manner.
I believe Jesus used the same theology on his disciples that day on the Mount of Beatitudes.
He told his followers they were salt and light.
Not that they would be...
Or that they could be...
Or that they should be...
He spoke a large calling onto their hearts and lives that would impact them for the rest of their days.
If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you too, are salt and light.
You are an impact and an influence.
You are a guide and a governing effect on others around you.
There is power in our words, even more power in the words of Jesus--think of what He has called you to be and act upon that calling!
