A salty soul

I really like salt, not too much, but just enough. A little of it makes the whole pot of soup delicious. Light, well who can imagine living in the dark, all of the time? I’m loving the fact that the time of daylight is creeping back, earlier by a couple of minutes, each day, as we move through winter towards springtime.

Jesus reminds you and me that we have a vital role in this world. His disciples are not to be hidden away, out of sight, without influence. Here’s how He says it. “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. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither 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. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16, NIV)

In His day, salt had a far greater importance in the food supply than merely adding flavor. Salt, combined with dehydration, allowed some foods to be stored by preserving the food from rot. Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, have much the same role in society.  If they are doing what God wants them to do, they will make the world in which they live a better place. Challenging, isn’t it? There are tragic chapters in history where “Christians” who gained power used their influence to advance selfish gains, to do horrible things in the Name of Christ. But it is undeniable that much of the advance of human rights in the Western world came about as a result of the influence of godly men and women. 

• William Wilberforce spent most of his life battling slavery in England, often mocked and reviled, but tirelessly making the case that slavery was an evil that had to end. 

• Martin Luther raised his voice against a corrupt Church, insisting that it must return to the truth of “justification by faith,” rather than empowering an elite few to dispense salvation. 

• William Booth saw the grinding poverty in London’s slums and took his “Salvation Army” into the streets to preach Christ and changed thousands of lives.

 Perhaps your faith won’t have those kinds of renowned results, but when it is authentic, deep, and uncompromising, it will have an effect on your family, your neighborhood, and your circle of friends. Just being there, modeling loving respect, steady faith, and real hope makes an eternal difference. We don’t have to preach loud sermons or hit people over the head with our Bibles in order to fulfil the ‘salt’ role of which Jesus speaks. We have to be present, active in faith, constant in prayer, and dedicated to His ways.

Our responsibility is to be light, our privilege to show the Way. It is Jesus to Whom we point, not religion, not a church’s dogma. The last line in the passage quoted above is a key truth. Meditate on it! When we are at our best as salt and light, we won’t necessarily win awards or have buildings named after us. We may do our work in obscurity, but inevitably others will see the results of our efforts and ‘praise our Father in Heaven.’  We – individually and as the Body of Christ – need to think hard about that! When we are present, even though we live against the flow of the culture, do people have a sense that the world is better for our being part of scene?  Do we lift others, infuse hope, model love, teach faith?

Paul knew that calling was a difficult one, requiring much more of him than he naturally could accomplish. Our word from the Word comes from his realization of his source of strength.  As you read it, pray that God will make you a salty Christian with an undeniable influence for good in your world, for the glory of God. "To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? You see, we are not like those hucksters—and there are many of them—who preach just to make money. We preach God’s message with sincerity and with Christ’s authority. And we know that the God who sent us is watching us. Are we beginning again to tell you how good we are? …  We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God." (2 Corinthians 2:16-3:5, NLT)

The change that comes through the influence of the godly man or woman is not finished in a day. It involves the witness of a lifetime.

Will you take the call to bring Jesus to your corner of the world?

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Take My Life And Let It Be (Hendon)

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated Lord to Thee

Take my moments and my days

Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee

Take my will and make it Thine

It shall be no longer mine

Take my heart it is Thine own

It shall be Thy royal throne

Take my love my Lord I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store

Take myself and I will be

Ever only all for Thee

Frances Ridley Havergal | Henri Abraham Cesar Malan

© Words: Public Domain

Music: Public Domain

CCLI License # 810055

Sleeping with the lions?

Here in America being a follower of Jesus is not going to cost your life. We might experience someone mocking our faith, or we might be left out by some who reject us for loving Him, but we won’t be imprisoned or threatened with death. In 2020 there are places in the world where you can get killed for publicly speaking the Name. Martyrdom is not just something of ages past. What about that?  

 In readings from Matthew we come to these lines- "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12, NIV)

One of the Old Testament heroes was a godly man in a pagan culture who lived with excellence and devotion. He was rewarded with places of leadership in the Babylonian court but his prominence could not protect him from the haters! You remember the story about Daniel’s night in the lion’s den, don’t you? I was about 4 years of age in a little Sunday room in a country church when our teacher told us the story using cut-out pictures. We learned about Daniel’s faithfulness to God, about his prayers, and the terrible people who hated him so much that they conspired to have him tossed to the lions. Mrs. Hoferman told it with such passion that my heart pounded and I wondered if “that good man get eaten?”   And, indeed, God showed up to shut the mouths of the lions. Daniel emerged from the danger like a conquering hero.  “Yea!” I cheered.  Faith grew in me and I learned to trust the Lord.

There is another lesson that emerges from the story too subtle for a little child.  God allowed Daniel to enter the lion’s den for a greater purpose. Temporarily, evil seemed to win. He spend a long night alone with lion’s snarling and snapping an arm’s length away!  But, Daniel’s integrity was so notable, his faith so unquestionable, that even the pagan king shared his hope!  "The king caved in and ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions’ den. But he said to Daniel, “Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this.”  … "At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?”  (Daniel 6:19-20, The Message)  The real hero of this story is not Daniel, is it?  The Almighty God is the One who gets the glory when the deliverance comes.

Those who suffer for Christ Jesus, who get tossed to the lions, so to speak, are not forgotten by God, nor are they inferior in faith. God uses those situations to deepen their faith and to bring glory to Himself.  When we whine and beg for an easier place, or protest angrily, we may miss the purpose of persecution.

Are you living in the lion’s den of life right now? Has the Lord, your loving Father, allowed you to live with suffering, or defeat, or circumstances that defy your best efforts to turn them around?

Pray for rescue!  But, also remember that it may be His will to leave you there for a long night, for His own purposes.  “Come on, Jerry, that is not fair.”  Yes, I understand that and I weep with you. I am familiar with disappointment, with struggle, and I know that it is hard to wait, to trust, and to keep praying with faith for God’s glory to be revealed. Sometimes we just want relief, don’t we?  But, often the greater victory is not the one we seek.  Peter wrote to the first generation of Christians who were being intensely persecuted. His words would not go over well in our American churches where we like the “Sunday School” version of life where good guys always win and every difficulty turns into deliverance when God’s people pray. – "So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19, NIV)

Here is a word from the Word. Let it inspire you to trust Jesus’ words about being blessed when persecuted for right living. If you are in the Lion’s Den, hold onto this word.

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."… "Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life." (James 1:2-4, 12, The Message)

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12, NIV)

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Stand In Your Love

When darkness tries to roll over my bones

When sorrow comes to steal the joy I own

When brokenness and pain is all I know

I won't be shaken I won't be shaken

My fear doesn't stand a chance

When I stand in Your love (repeat)

Shame no longer has a place to hide

I am not a captive to the lies

I'm not afraid to leave my past behind

I won't be shaken I won't be shaken

There's power that can break off every chain

There's power that can empty out a grave

There's resurrection power that can save

There's power in Your name power in Your name

Standing in Your love

Ethan Hulse | Josh Baldwin | Mark Harris | Rita Springer

© 2018 Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

EGH Music Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

Gateway Create Publishing (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC])

CCLI License # 810055

Angry enough to go to war?

On Monday evening, I went to see 1917 a new film about the horrors of the First World War.  The images on the screen brought home, again, the illogical nature of warfare as a means of settling disputes, yet it keeps on happening. Conflict is as old as humanity. Families fight, political parties fight, nations war!  Ever had a “difference of opinion” with someone that escalated beyond annoyance into a prolonged fight?  It shades life a kind of gray, steals joy, and makes one weary, doesn’t it? Yesterday I found myself with a broken heart as I remembered a friend who, for his own reasons, severed our long-time relationship, deciding apparently that what divided us was greater than what we shared for 10 years. I longed to sit and ask him if the issue actually demanded ending a friendship that brought so much joy to both of us in the past?

My reading in Matthew today included this challenging sentence - "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9, NLT)

It is true that we will  find things over which we differ – some of real consequence. If we are passionate about the issue, finding a way forward can seem an impossibility. Differences often escalate into an argument.  Arguments turn into attacks, attacks end relationships. Couples who were once deeply in love find themselves in a lawyer’s office planning a divorce. Christians who were allies for the Kingdom of Christ  no longer even speak. Neighbors move away, never speaking again.  Nations raise armies for war. When the war is over, when reason has returned, often we wonder, “how did it come to this?"

Let’s back up for a moment. Too many times the things over which we fight are not really about principles or even convictions. We get angry because someone steps on our toes. For the Christian, the real failure is not having different ideas, but refusing to work at understanding and reconciliation. Followers of Christ are called to resolve conflict, to seek peace.   We approach those inevitable disagreements differently. Most of the time, there is some exercise of power that is used to make the other guy see things ‘my way.’  But, the Kingdom of God never advances on the strength of guns or fists or even bellicose words! 

Scripture directs us to approach others, even those with whom we differ, this way: "Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future." (Ephesians 4:1-4, NLT) What a practical passage, but full of challenging concepts: humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance!

Never under-estimate the power of prayer when working through a conflict, be it in your marriage, at work, with a neighbor, in your family, or in the world! What kind of prayers do we pray?  The natural tendency is to ask the Lord to change the other person.  Have you ever prayed something like this?  “Lord, change him. Help him to see how wrong he is.”  Or, maybe you have even thought to pray, “Lord, help him to see he is an idiot!” Perhaps not with those words, but was the sentiment similar?  Our prayers need to mature beyond “help them to see how right I am” to “Lord, open my ears and my heart. Help me to listen. Be our peace.”  Jesus taught us that resolution begins with kind of prayer: "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." (Luke 6:28, KJV)  The Message says, "When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person." 

Conflict makes us angry and anger is not generally the field in which reconciliation grows, is it?  “Angry?” the Bible asks, “Then, don’t sin!”  Instead bring your true emotions to the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you through the process of understanding and patience. Confession of our own sins and failures is the foundation of forgiveness that leads to peace.  Peace-making does not mean that we give up on the truth or wave the flag of surrender to purchase peace at any price. God asks us to keep pursuing active love, to do good to those who oppose us, while we patiently allow the truth to mature.  An amazing thing happens when we wait on the Lord in this way.  We change! Humility is a key. Dying to self means we give up our desire to be comfortable – either by walking off or exercising power to win! In constant prayer, we lay ourselves down before Him. When we surrender to Him, the Spirit comes with new life, new love, new peace.

Never forget that just as we can ‘wage war,’ we can ‘make peace!’ Here’s a word from the Word.  “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." (Matthew 5:9, The Message)

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The Paradoxical Commandments

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001