13 "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.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 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.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I am watching my salt - more specifically the amount of sodium I'm suppose to be taking less of in to my body. But I love salt. So the question is, "how much can I get away with?"
I think too much of our lives is lived with that question sitting near the surface of our thinking...what can I do and it still be ok? Why do we want to live so close to the edge? Why straddle the line with one foot in and one foot out?
Jesus' call to me, to us, is to live on purpose...live intentionally...live specifically...
In a series of statements that follow this passage, the context has Jesus saying the same kind of thing over and over again.
21 "You have heard that it was said..."
22 But I tell you ..."
27 "You have heard that it was said..."
28 But I tell you ..."
31 "It has been said..."
32 But I tell you..."
33 "Again, you have heard that it was said ..."
34 But I tell you..."
43 "You have heard that it was said..."
44 But I tell you..."
Now, of course, there's words that followed each of those and in not including the words do I diminish what they say, but I did this to point out that in most of life's issues, there's a way that is normal, presumed, typical, expected, and acceptable...that doesn't mean it is Jesus' way.
We cannot live purposefully, intentionally, specifically for Jesus and ignore his words and ways.
It strikes me how good, kind and merciful Jesus is while upholding a lifestyle that can only be described as incredibly good, and different, from all around him.
The people he interacted with usually didn't get it.
The rulers and authorities certainly didn't get it.
The disciples didn't even get it.
AND, neither do I, or you for that matter, get it.
Most people I know desire to be good. There are always some people who seem to be grouchy, irritable, and selfishly oriented; but then they usually don't have many friends and they live somewhat alone - the net affect of not trying to be good. That's not what I meant when I began this with "Salty" saints.
Most people desire to be good and get along with others. We all get irritated with life's circumstances at times; but somehow find a way to rise above the nuisances and annoyances of life to still get along with others.
But, let's not mistake that kind of goodness with being "salty saints".
What Jesus is calling us to is to discover in Him a new WAY to do living. What he is not calling us to is to be good so that we can be religiously acceptable. He makes that clear in his interactions with the Pharisees.
Matthew 23:25 (NIV)
25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Being a salty saint is not being religious.
Go to church, yes; but that's not the salty saint.
Give your money, yes; but that's not it either.
At the end of the chapter 5, where we began this whole "muse", Jesus continues to make his point in the chapter that follows. Matthew 6:1-5 (NIV)
1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
This is the point - to do what we do - to be good - to live in such a way as to do what we do for Christ alone - not wishing to be noticed, or applauded, or recognized, or exalted as a great example of what a Christian should be...not for any reason other than to please the Father.
A One Person Focus
The Art of a Single Desire
The awareness that only one Person's evaluation is all that counts.
In life, there is only this Audience of One that must matter.
Peace
1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
This is the point - to do what we do - to be good - to live in such a way as to do what we do for Christ alone - not wishing to be noticed, or applauded, or recognized, or exalted as a great example of what a Christian should be...not for any reason other than to please the Father.
A One Person Focus
The Art of a Single Desire
The awareness that only one Person's evaluation is all that counts.
In life, there is only this Audience of One that must matter.
Peace
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