| What Kind of Impact Are You Making? |
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It is not incidental that when Jesus finishes his discourse of the "Beatitudes" which describes what should be the attitude of believers as they live out their lives as kingdom citizens here on earth, that He would push them to the next level.
He moves from instructing on what our attitude should be, to how those attitudes should impact the world. He uses two familiar elements to illustrate how we should impact the world around us. He says we are the "salt of the earth", and the "light of the world."
Let's consider for a moment, what this means. First of all about salt we know that it's used for preserving, its used to enhance flavor, its even used to freshen and sweeten. Salt is also blended into the objects its used on. So even when you don't see the salt, its presence is evident.
So for the believer that means that as salt we're to impact the world around us. We're to be a preserving agent, slowing down the decaying process of those we impact. We're to enhance the lives of those around us, add flavor. And another thing often omitted about salt, we're to create thirst. Salt also makes one thirsty. Our lives should create a thirst for the kind of relationship we have with Christ.
He then likens the believer to light, "you are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." In basic terms we know that light repels darkness. We also know that light illuminates the path or direction for those that are lost. We know that in order for us to be light, we must possess the light in us.
8:12 Then again Jesus said to them, I am the light of the world; he who comes with me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life.
So then those of us possess the light of life through a personal relationship with the "Light of the world" have been given the charge to let that light shine. The light is us should impact the world around us.
In His sermon Jesus gives us a two-fold purpose of our lights shining brightly before men. The first is reflection, "that they may see your good works" and the second is reverence " and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
The first is reflection. He says that they may see your good works. This word see that He uses has an unusual meaning. It means not only to see literally, but the word also means to move to action. In other words it means to see something and be moved to take action as a result. To reflect means that our lives should reflect the person of Christ that lives in us.
He says when they see, when the see your unconditional love, when they see your kind hearted-ness, when they see your willingness to lend a helping hand, when they see your willingness to offer a listening ear, when they see your compassion for the hurting, when they see mercy towards them, when they see your servant heart, and ask how its all possible.
Then you begin the reverence, give Him glory.As you tell of the glories of Christ, because they've seen, they too will glorify your Father who is in heaven. When we let our lights shine, we in turn lift up the Savior, and the promise of the Savior is " If I, If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself"
So I ask the question again " What kind of impact are you making?" |
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