How To Be Salt And Light

In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, . . . you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.
–Philippians 2:15-16

Jesus said His followers are salt and light. What does that mean for us today? First, let’s look at an application for Christians individually. Jesus said you are salt. Are you looking for opportunities to create spiritual thirst in the people around you by what you say? What are you doing to push back against evil? It may be going to a school board meeting and voting against a policy that is trying to cram ungodly thoughts into the lives of our children. It may be voting for a candidate who embraces godly values.

Jesus also said you are light. Are you sharing with people the way to heaven? When my daughter Julia and her husband, Ryan, first moved to Dallas about fifteen years ago, they made a list of all the non-Christians they knew in Dallas–friends or family members who needed to know Christ as Savior. Then they made a commitment to meet each person for coffee or dinner and share the gospel with them. Ryan and Julia kept that commitment, and they saw every one of those individuals come to faith in Jesus Christ that year. Now, that is something we can all do, but we have to be intentional about it if we are going to be the light God has called us to be.

There is also an application for Christians collectively. Think about it this way: A shaker of salt is more effective than one grain of salt. A floodlight is more effective than a pen light. Working collectively, we as Christians can have an even greater impact on our world.

People often ask why Christians get involved in politics. Why did Martin Luther King Jr. get involved in the civil rights movement? Because it was not a political issue; it was a moral issue. Why did Christians in the nineteenth century get involved in the abolitionist movement? Because slavery was a moral issue. Why do Christians today get involved in the pro-life movement? Because abortion is a moral issue. When you say Christians should not get involved in politics, you are saying Christians should not try to influence the world in which they live. We are called to push back against evil.

But none of that is worth anything if we are not faithful, collectively, to be the light of the world. The only reason we want to delay God’s judgment is so we have longer to share the gospel. That is why we are here. God did not leave us on this earth to build a big financial portfolio. He did not leave us here to have a successful career. He did not even leave us here to have a happy family life. No, God left us here to be salt and light in a decaying, dark world.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Straight Talk About Your Faith” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2022.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org