Evening

February 2

Matthew 5:13-15 ¹³"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

Jesus' words capture the imagination. He speaks with such depth of meaning that you can see the words on a number of levels. In this passage He employs two metaphors. He calls those who believe in Him salt and light. It is an expression that is meant to help us see our role in the world as He sees it. He is continuing to teach the disciples Kingdom thinking.

Salt has to stay salty to be of value. If you lose your flavor, your distinctiveness, then you have lost your value. The Christian brings savor to life. His presence brings the perspective of the Holy Spirit and that completely changes the way things are seen. The Spirit points out eternal realities. He takes the mundane and fills it with eternal importance. The world needs your saltiness.

Jesus said that He is the light of the world. As Christians, we are the little lights, bringing His light in a way that is comprehendible to man. Our testimony makes the eternal something they can see at work. God is not so distant or unreachable when they see Him at work in our life. But if we hide that light for fear of being different, how is the world to see it? We have something desperately needed by all. Don't hide it! If you truly have Him you can't really hide Him. Don't attempt to hide Him to fit in. The world needs Him! Let the light shine! Let it shine in the world, and let it shine in your home. Let them see Jesus manifested in your mortal life.

Remember: Jesus is the One everyone most desperately needs to see.