Shaking Salt & Shining Light (Part 5)

     Recently I’ve been emphasizing the need for Christians to be salt and light in the world around them. This involves many factors such as, but not limited to, coming into contact with the unbelieving world, living a lifestyle that is fundamentally different from the world, and proclaiming the core message of the gospel verbally. The power in a Christian’s witness comes as they manifest all three of these. What we need today are Christians who can speak the truth of the gospel clearly but who also can back up the truth of the gospel by their lifestyle.      In other words, we need Christians who can not just talk the talk but who also can walk the walk. When you proclaim the message of the gospel and then live out the teachings of the gospel, others see your walk backing up your talk; this validates the message. The apostle Paul encouraged the Colossian believers to “walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” That phrase, “redeeming the time” literally means “buying up every opportunity.” The point is our time with unbelievers is limited and almost already spent. We must be wise to make the most of every minute we have. Every moment of your life should be looked upon as an opportunity to bring others closer to faith in Jesus, not farther from it.
     People around you ought to hear you talk about Christ so they know how to be saved but they ought to see you live like Christ so they want to be saved! Others should see your life and say, “If that’s what Christianity is, then I want it.” Dr. Larry Moyer, in a little devotional book titled 31 Days with the Master Fisherman tells the story of a man who was antagonistic toward Christ for years but later came to faith in Him and attributed his conversion to a timid neighbor. When the neighbor found out about this he was shocked and a bit confused saying, “I never spoke to you about Christ the way I should have.” The man answered, “No, you didn’t. But you lived me to death. I could refute others’ arguments and upset their logic, but I could not refute the way you lived.”
     Your unsaved network of friends or neighbors may be able to refute some of the things you say to them but they cannot refute the things you do for them. What good things have you done for your co-workers, family, or neighbors? Keep it up. What have you done lately to hinder your witness? Confess it to God, and if necessary ask forgiveness of someone if you wronged them. Then move on and ask God to help you live better than that in days ahead so you can point others to Him more effectively. Ask Him to use your life to make Jesus more attractive to those around you—validating the message you’ve been voicing.

      -Pastor Matt