Salt and Light – Matthew 5:13-16 The Message (MSG)
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine! Keep open house, be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
Hello Church Family! I love this verse in the Message Bible. We are here to be light, to bring out the God-colors in the world! WOW. I don’t really know what else I need to add to this. I think these verses from Matthew speak plenty without me adding a single thing. Meditate on what this is saying for today. First of all how amazing it is that God uses us in this magnificent way on His earth, but secondly think about what “God-colors” look like! I would imagine it looks like the color love, the color peace, the color joy, etc.. All of the “God-colors” of the rainbow are represented in the body of Christ. Are we going to hide them under a bucket, or are we going to allow Him to put us on a light stand?
He calls us his “salt and light”, in other words His flavor and colors on the earth. I do not know of a more profound and beautiful picture that he paints of us. What is left in the world without light, colors, and flavor? Just like Pastor Jonathan taught us this past Sunday, the Holy Spirit is our lamp oil and we are the light, He fuels us, but it’s our job to shine. Don’t allow the fears and stresses of this world keep your light under a bucket, extinguished and useless. This is what we are here for, for such a time as this you have been placed in this world with all of its pains and hurts, to be the flavor and the light. What are you going to do this week? Survive another day, or live out this tremendous calling to be his flavor and light in this world. Are you going to encourage others, and be positive? Are you going to pray for those that need prayer, and witness to those that don’t know Him? Are you going to speak to him and include Him in your day?
God wants to be in full relationship with us. He wants to be the center of our Pie as Pastor Deb calls it. Are we going to allow Him to be that? Or are we going to be burnt out and flavorless? Now is the time church, to rise up and take our place and start being the change we want to see. Time to stop wasting time in the offenses and stresses that don’t mean a thing at the end of this life, and focus what this scripture tells us is the very reason we are all here. To be His Flavor and His Light! Be encouraged today, be positive, be thankful, BE LIGHT!
Blessings,
Pastor Ginny
