Once in a while, I am in the mood to sit at my computer and hit the "Stumble!" button for my reading leisure. In case you're wondering what I'm talking about, it is a plugin called Stumble Upon for Firefox web browser. It is great, but dangerous in that you could waste a lot of time with it on the web. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control, ....
Anyhow, I "stumbled" upon this article about Halloween. It is a good read and challenges some of us (including myself) in a way that we're perhaps not used to. The author is correct in his/her observation that it's the only day of the year when your neighbors let down their guard and are willing to chat with you even if they don't know you (I realize this probably only applies to USA).
Our prayer for this year's Halloween is:
Father in Heaven, on this Halloween, give us opportunities to meet neighbors that we have not met that we may have relationship with them. Father, bless these new relationships that we may be light to them as Your Son shines in our hearts and lives. Amen
One of the things that I feel convicted about lately is that I am not being "salt" to this world. In my own ways, I've been light to the world by being religious. However, the Lord Jesus clearly commanded us saying "be light and salt." Why? Because if you lose your flavor, you are no use. You will not be attractive (in a godly way, not the Hollywood way) and will not be able to be good fishers of men.
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. (Matthew 5:13, NKJV)
Notice Jesus says "you (salt) will be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." We know we shouldn't fear the rejection of the world (read the verses immediately before Matthew 5:13) but here in this context Jesus is saying that you need your flavor. Why? Sometimes we Christians can get the attitude "well my neighbors and coworkers don't like me because I'm a great Christian." Sometimes this is true, but other times it's just because you're arrogant or in the Christianese, you have the "holier than thou" attitude.
We need to be likable by keeping our own flavors, not being religious robots. This is important to keep in mind because of what Jesus goes on to say next.
You are the light of the world - like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:14-16, NLT)You are to show (not to brag or show-case) your good deeds to all. You are to shine before all. You are to manifest the goodness of the Father and the darkness of the world. For whatever makes manifest is light (Ephesians 5:13); ie, whatever that exposes things is light. When we fulfill this calling, the temptation will be for us to think that we are better than others around us that we are exposing by our good deeds. When we give in to this temptation, we lose our flavor because nobody wants to hang out with people who have that attitude.
So how do we keep being salt and light at the same time? We must be humble and be careful not to fall into the trap of false humility (religion). We must be real. We must fear God and not fear men, exposing the darkness by good deeds.
After all, what we're called to do is simply to reproduce Jesus' ministry. He was interesting ("salty") enough that Pharisees wanted to invite him to dinner. But He was not afraid to be different than them (light). Halleluja!
Got light? Got salt?
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May 25th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
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