Salt and Light

1/16/2021

Matthew 5:13-16 "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."

 I like to think of myself as a sensitive person, although there have been many times when I spoke without really thinking and had to insert my foot into my mouth. Thankfully, those times are rare. In today's world, however, it seems people have lost their filtration. It probably started on the relative safety and anonymity of social media. A place had been created for people to say whatever they want without any real consequence. People could give any counter argument or personal opinion and it did not have to be done face-to-face. Did this new form of communication cause pain? Yes, and that has only gotten worse as our country divides further.

Sometimes the pain that is caused by a lack of sensitivity and mindfulness about a situation is done in person without malicious intent. It is, however, still very painful for those on the receiving end. If you have experienced this, you understand what I mean. 

So as believers, how are we supposed to conduct ourselves when communicating with others? Well, if we let love, compassion, understanding, and respect lead our interactions, we are apt to do a better job at non-judgement or unintended injury toward others. Jesus is our example, after all, and He treated everyone this way. 

Another way we can improve in this area is to stop being so self-absorbed. We are called to serve others, not to push others around with our opinions or cause injury with thoughtless words. When we are only concerned with our own lives, we cease to love our neighbor. Sometimes all that neighbor needs is a little compassion. 

We need to become better listeners as well. Seems like there is a lot of chatter nowadays with very little active listening going on. We need to really look at each other and try to (as my family calls it) read the room. If you are having a time of joy and success, try to be sensitive about where and when to share that good news with those who are struggling. We have all made missteps in this area, but when we really move into a posture of living with empathy, we will be more able to give those around us the support they need. Sometimes that takes as little as a call to check in, a card, a listening ear, a kind word, or even a smile. I know I would love to live in a world where all people put others before themselves. Maybe that should start with God's people. We are, after all, meant to be salt and light to the world.