August 29, 2014

"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 lampstand, 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 5:14-16

I am an ice cream lover. I would love to eat a lot more of it than I allow myself to enjoy.

How about you?

Imagine this, the only ice cream you have ever known is simply crushed ice with some cream poured over it. It is cold and it is refreshing and it's all there is.

But one glorious day you happen past a little store front place with an sign out front declaring, ICE CREAM!

Since it is a warm day you decide to grab a couple of dips on a cone. So, you walk into the store and say, "I would like two dips on a sugar cone please."

The kid behind the counter asks, "Would you like vanilla or chocolate?"

You are stumped. You don't know what to say. No one has ever asked you that before and crushed ice is all you've known.

Could I have a little sample please?

"Sure! Which would you like to try?"

"Uh, I don't know. Which do you like?"

"Here, try the chocolate it's my favorite and he hands you a spoonful and it is love a first lick!"

Before you leave the establishment you have consumed a double scoop of chocolate AND a doubled scoop of vanilla! Your whole ice cream appetite has been changed forever. Never again will you even think about that crushed ice stuff.

That is what Jesus intends for His followers who are "the salt of the earth". Those who have been revolutionized by His righteousness are to shock the spiritual taste buds of a world devoid of flavor.

You are on I-95 heading toward D.C. You are bumper-to-bumper and door-to-door in traffic. It is a pitch dark night with no trace of the moon or stars. When I say pitch dark I mean no one has headlights dark!

Those of you who regularly drive I-95 know how nerve wracking it can be in broad daylight under the best of conditions. Can you imagine driving it in zero visibility conditions?

Think what a relief it would be to suddenly discover you had headlights! You would be relieved because you could see and others would be relieved because they could see you and see others in the light of your headlights.

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world".

I share these hypothetical situations with you to help illustrate the importance of being "salt' and "light".

If you are a follower of Christ He makes it clear that you ARE salt and you ARE light. You will have an impact on your world. Will you flavor your world or will you leave a bad taste? Will you dispel the darkness or add to it?