In this world, we WILL have sorrows. But never stop at believing in the redemptive power of God. In a practical sense, that means we are to never stop believing in others, and never be deterred from loving them with His love. Salt and light is impacting others not only due to their nature, but more importantly, due to their usage. It is a great mistake for ourself, and a grave sin to God when we refuse this way of discipline and expression of our life. “Not me, but Christ who lives in me”. This is the best of life, the highest of call and the final of fulfillment.
And when we love and serve, we are to not look for approval, glory or appreciation from the world. We should never stop to be used as salt and light because praise or rejection. Salt can savor the food, but it also hurts a wound. Light can lit up the way, but it also inflames the flammable. Paul says: to some, we are the aroma of life, while to others, the smell of death. And he learned not to judge himself based on man’s flimsy and unstable opinions. His stay is the image and likeness of God in Christ Jesus. Mirror Him in our inner man, and we will never be disappointed.
Some say love is a verb. How true! Love is God’s nature. The more we love (truly care) others, the more we know God. The more we know God, the more capable we are to represent and flow His love.
The Jezebel spirit always twists and persecutes our righteousness in and devotion to God. But we are not to cave in. The orphan spirit defies and defiles the table of the Lord, but we will not stop serving the bread and the wine and keep its sanctity. God didn’t promise us of no disappointment or offense, but He had called us to overcome and promised us the grace to do so. It is for this reason He sent His Son while we were enemies of His, steep in sin, in ignorance or in rebellion. And if we could be saved, others can be even more.
What is the highest vocation in life? To serve God. How to serve God? By serving others. His culture, being it a family or a kingdom, is built on loving one another in and thru Christ. This is the WAY of victory and freedom, that we overcome sin and death. We, as His sons, are to seek the approval, glory, honor of our Heavenly Father.
This is the pattern of life that Christ Jesus secured for us.