WHO AM I?
Gaining an Positive Identity
Matthew 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 ESV
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 ESV
One of the things that might be coming down the pike for Hopewell is a new logo. As we contemplate building changes, we might end up getting a full-fledged makeover of our insignia as well.
I put the present one together years ago, when we first got started as a church. And, of course, it is by no means professional. We have often joked together about our “chicken comb.”
William Herod pitched the idea of a new logo a number of weeks ago and said he would be willing to design it. We as elders always want to encourage the use of gifts in the church and thought his suggestion might be a good idea. But it was fun to see William begin to operate. He began asking me various questions about Hopewell. He wanted to really try and get an idea of who we are as a church. He kind of gave me an overview of what he does in the whole process and he said that in order to have a good logo, it has to tell people who you are. In the logo, you present yourself to the community. It is your first impression, so to speak. So it must therefore express something of your identity.
I have to say, I’ve enjoyed thinking about this. It’s not only made me curious to see what the final product will be, but it has made me consider again who we are as a church. It’s been good to go back to the basics, as it were, and think about what it is to be a Reformed and family integrated church.
But this all came to mind again as I was studying for our passage this morning. This morning we come again to one of those familiar passages. But it is one of those passages that has to do with our identity as Christians.
This passage begins by saying, “You are...” You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. You are a city on a hill. Jesus has just gotten done talking about the beatitudes. He’s described the Christian by these various attributes. He’s said, this is what a Christian looks like. Now in verses 13-16 he says “Now that you understand what you look like, let me tell you who you are. Let me further elaborate on your identity.”
And from this passage we should take note of the nature of our identity and the implications of our identity. In other words, we can ask, what does Jesus say about who we are and what exactly should follow from it?
But before we get to that, I want to talk about the origin of our identity. Where do we get our identity? From whence does it come?
I. The origin of our identity
And this is one of those questions that is of the utmost importance in our day. That’s because we are living in a world which is experiencing something of an identity crisis. People are struggling to understand exactly who they are.
But you’ll see that our passage begins by stating in the clearest possible way the words “You are.” Our identity as Christians (and I might say as humans in general, but especially as Christians) comes from the Bible. God has revealed to us in his Word what our identity is supposed to be. We do not have to think overly hard about it because the one who created us has not been silent about who we are.
And so our identity comes from Scripture. That’s one of the primary purposes of Scripture. It tells us who we are supposed to be. It tells us we are made in the image of God. It tells us that God created us to be males and females. It tells us that we are sinners. It tells us who we are in Christ: we are redeemed, sanctified, regenerate. And here it tells us that we are salt and light, which we will get into in just a moment. But all of Scripture is given so that we would have a trustworthy guide when it comes to understanding our identity.
And I mention this because, again, so much of our culture is experiencing an identity crisis. And that is because people believe that their identity originates from other places.
For instance, some believe that their identity is found in their biological make up. They think that their identity is found in the color of their skin or in their genetic make up. That’s one of the problems with the Critical Race Theory today. People believe that the shade of melanin in their skin is the defining factor of who they are.
But the truth is this: your skin is just the wrapping paper of your body. It does not truly shape your identity. You may face some prejudices as a result of that wrapping paper, and you will have to deal with that, but it does not explicitly define you.
Similarly, there are some people who think that their identity is in their heritage. A number of weeks ago I had a young man say to me, “I’m sorry we act this way. Our father was a drunk and is in jail.” And he was making the point that because they had a shared DNA, how they lived their life was wrapped up in that.
But that’s not true either. You are a product of your genetics, obviously. But your chromosomes and your DNA will only say what kind of nose you have or what color your hair is. It is not the mastermind behind your identity.
We could talk about other origins that people look to, such as one’s environment. You’ll hear people even say, “I’m from the ghetto. That’s who I am.” But that’s just a caricature. If it were true, you’re personality would have to change if you got moved to a different context.
But perhaps the place that most people today find their identity is in themselves. That is to say, in their feelings. This is, from what I can tell, what is behind all the confusion regarding gender identity. You will hear men say things like, “I identify as a woman.” Or a woman will say, “I am non-binary when it comes to gender.” In other words, she’s saying she doesn’t have a gender.
People are not wanting to have their babies tagged as male or female because they do not think that the baby’s gender is even possible to discern. You can’t tell how that baby feels. You have to wait until they are able to make that claim on their own.
This is particularly so for those who identify as homosexuals. The development typically goes like this: When I was about 5-6 years old, I started having these feelings. Notice right there, it is about one’s feelings. This person has had some thoughts about people of the same sex and it isn’t corrected. They don’t have a biblical worldview; they don’t have anyone guiding them into what is right. So they feel that these feelings are part of who they are. Then, over the course of several years of allowing themselves to have these feelings, it does come to dominate their life. So it does feel like it is your identity. It’s been a part of you for as long as you can remember.
Again, all of this is subjective. It is feeling based. It’s origin is one’s own personal preferences and emotional sensations. That’s why people are confused. This is why our culture is confused.
This is why as we start talking about one’s identity, it necessary to emphasize the biblical grounding. Our identity does not flow from anything in us or around us. Our identity comes from God and it is revealed ever so clearly in the pages of Scripture.
This is a very important worldview issue for our day and it’s necessary to begin there.
And now that we have a grasp on where our identity comes from, let’s think about what our identity is.
II. The nature of our identity
In this passage Jesus says that your identity can be spoken of in three ways. He says you are salt, he says you are light, and he says you are a city on a hill. Now, these are all metaphors. He’s using imagery to convey his point. But what you should understand is that you are God’s agents of help in this world.
Think about these images. These are all very positive images. Take salt. Salt has a preserving effect. It makes meat last longer and keeps it from corruption. In ancient times they did not have refrigeration. So the meat or the fish would spoil in the hot weather if they just left it as it was. So what they did was pack it in salt or soak it in salty water. Doing that would keep it from bacterial decay so that they could make it last longer.
Light is also a proactive agent. Light helps people see. When you light a lamp you expose the hazards that are out there and create an atmosphere which is comfortable.
Then you have a city on a hill. It is a place of refuge. People cannot easily attack a city that is perched upon a mountain. There’s a sense in which it is a place of safety.
These are all said of you. These are part of your identity. And you can think of the opposite: The world is a place of decay and corruption. It is a place of darkness and evil. It is also a place where you are you are in danger; there is need for constant caution because of the imminent harm that is always lurking about. Because sin, misery, and death are basic components of this world, there is little good that may be found in it.
But God has designed you to be his agent of help. And you, by your nature, are that help! You are identified as God’s agents of help in this world.
Years ago I read the classic, “Lord of the Flies.” And there was a special chapter added at the end of the book where the author was interviewed. They asked him what prompted him to write the “Lord of the Flies.” And he answered by saying this: “I wanted to write a book which told the truth about little children. I wanted to give people a picture what would happen if a group of kids were left to themselves.”
And those of you who have read the book know that these kids start out as civilized boys. But because they were stranded and left unattended, they became savages. They lost all sense of decency and order. They even were involved in a murder.
Now, I don’t know if the author of that book was a Christian or not, but he does a good job of speaking of the de-evolution of man. When sinners are left to themselves they will more and more degenerate into moral and spiritual darkness.
But that’s where you come in. God has created you to be the salt that preserves the world from corruption. You are the light that exposes the dark, evil for what it is and gives the comfort of moral illumination. As a city on a hill, you bring safety and security to your respective places. To put it another way, you, by your life and active presence within society, keep the Lord of the Flies from breaking out.
Now, this can be illustrated in a myriad of ways. But you can think of the Roman gladiatorial games. Do you know why we do not watch these blood thirsty men battle to the death any longer? It is because Christians had changed the moral landscape of the Roman Empire. Christians spoke of peace. They changed how people viewed life. They showed mercy and shunned the games for their abominable savagery.
Towards the end, you had the march of Telemachus. We do not know the exact particulars. But he marched in to stop the fight of two gladiators. He was horrified at the bloodshed that was happening in that arena. He was horrified at the people who were attending and cheering it on. The reports differ in the way the details of how things turned out. Some say the angry crowd stoned him for disrupting their entertainment. Others say that the Roman guards cut him down. Yet another report says that one of the gladiators went ahead and picked him off.
However it turned out, this was a monumental event. It was not long after that the games were ended. Now, it was not Telemachus himself. His act was valiant. But we need to understand that for hundreds of years prior to his march on the Coliseum there had been Christians seeking to preserve babies who were being exposed to death. Christians were loving their neighbors. They were taking care of outcasts and the needy. Most of all, they were talking about human dignity and how the gladiatorial games were an affront to God.
They were being salt and light in the Roman culture. And the end of the Gladiatorial games was simply the outworking of their existence in the Roman society.
Understand, then, that this is who you are. As a Christian, God has created you to be salt and light. Thus, by your very existence you are extorting a radical influence upon the culture. You are making this world a safer place. You are exposing evil and revealing the light of God’s truth. You are preserving this world from moral collapse and helping to maintain some level of righteousness.
There certainly is much more we can say about your identity. Scripture has much to say about this topic. But here you see that you are at the very least, God’s agents of help in this world.
III. The implications of our identity
It should be noticed that Jesus draws out some conclusions from our identity. He says, essentially, if you have this identity, then this is what it entails. And there are two basic implications. One is a warning of God’s judgment and the other is an encouragement to boldly be who you are.
A. A warning: Condemnation of those who are not living according to this identity
Let’s start with the warning. In verse 13 Jesus says, “If the salt isn’t salty, what good is it? It isn’t good for anything! The only thing you can do with it is toss it out and let it be trampled.”
Now, what’s he saying here? Well, we know it’s not a pretty picture, is it? The salt really isn’t salt, is it? And so it has no purpose to serve. And so you get rid of it.
What he’s talking about is someone who is a hypocrite. They may say they are one of God’s people, but really they are not. They think that they identify as a Christian, but it’s all a façade. They are fakes. They are not really salty because they have not been born again and repented of their sins. When it all comes down to it, they are not God’s agents of preservation because they do not have the true identity.
So what happens to them? God comes in judgment. He throws them out and they get trampled. That’s a picture of hell. Since they never really belonged to God, they really didn’t have a preserving effect on the world. And so, when they stand before God on the last day, he condemns them. And they end up being trampled by his wrath and curse.
Now, that stands as a warning. It is to make you truly examine yourself so that you may not be a false convert. If you have not been born again and truly become identified with Christ, you need to beware what is in store. You may look the part, just like a block of unsalty salt can look like salt, but you are not salt.
Jesus knew his audience and he knew that may people are merely pretenders. That’s why he offers this word of warning.
But Jesus also speaks a word of encouragement.
B. An encouragement: Don’t be shy; live it out
In verses 15 and 16 he talks about how you don’t hid a lamp under a bowl. You set it out so that it can light up the room. And then he goes on to say, “Let your light shine before men, so that they can see your good works and glorify God.”
What is he saying here? He’s telling you not to be shy or bashful about who you are. Be bold and live the kind of life that God wants you to live. As you do so, you will be having a radical impact on this world. You may even be an agent of salvation. Those who witness your kindness, love, charity, and grace may be brought to faith and made to worship God.
And so Jesus is simply encouraging you to be who you are. Be the light. Be the salt. Be the city on a hill that you are.
And this is just an opportunity for me to encourage you to not be bashful. Don’t be afraid to talk about the sanctity of life. Don’t be afraid to go up to someone and gently admonish them about the kind of language that they are using. You don’t have to be all up in their face about it. If you talk to them in a winsome way, you can affect much.
And don’t worry about their reaction either. You might feel like they blow you off, but salt still does its work whether or not the dead fish likes it or not. Light has a power over darkness. It always recedes when light comes barging in. What I’m trying to say is that you don’t know the power you may have on their conscience.
Now, as a pastor, it’s always funny to see how this works. There have been times where I’ll be in conversations with people or out playing basketball with some guys at the park. And they’ll be lighting it up with all kinds of foul language. And then, by chance, they’ll ask me what I do for a living, and I’ll tell them that I’m a pastor. And their eyes will open wide and they will realize that they’ve been cussing up a storm in front of one of God’s ministers. And it’s amazing that the rest of the time we’re together their vocabulary gets super clean.
That’s just a small illustration of the power of one’s presence. And you don’t have to be a pastor to have that effect. As you set aside the Lord’s Day, that has a preserving effect on the sanctity of the Lord’s Day. If you were to give up on it, then the world would make Sunday just like any other day of the week.
As you take care of your property and go out of your way to respect other people’s property, you prevent the world from falling further into Marxism and communism. As you act as a peacemaker and deal with your problems the way God wants you to, you become something of a security net for relationships in this world.
You are salt and light, and you should not underestimate the powerful influence you have. And you should be encouraged to be who you are; live the kind of life God wants you to live; be obedient to his commands, and don’t be shy about it. Be bold and you can trust that great things will happen.
You are God’s agents of help in this world.
I put the present one together years ago, when we first got started as a church. And, of course, it is by no means professional. We have often joked together about our “chicken comb.”
William Herod pitched the idea of a new logo a number of weeks ago and said he would be willing to design it. We as elders always want to encourage the use of gifts in the church and thought his suggestion might be a good idea. But it was fun to see William begin to operate. He began asking me various questions about Hopewell. He wanted to really try and get an idea of who we are as a church. He kind of gave me an overview of what he does in the whole process and he said that in order to have a good logo, it has to tell people who you are. In the logo, you present yourself to the community. It is your first impression, so to speak. So it must therefore express something of your identity.
I have to say, I’ve enjoyed thinking about this. It’s not only made me curious to see what the final product will be, but it has made me consider again who we are as a church. It’s been good to go back to the basics, as it were, and think about what it is to be a Reformed and family integrated church.
But this all came to mind again as I was studying for our passage this morning. This morning we come again to one of those familiar passages. But it is one of those passages that has to do with our identity as Christians.
This passage begins by saying, “You are...” You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. You are a city on a hill. Jesus has just gotten done talking about the beatitudes. He’s described the Christian by these various attributes. He’s said, this is what a Christian looks like. Now in verses 13-16 he says “Now that you understand what you look like, let me tell you who you are. Let me further elaborate on your identity.”
And from this passage we should take note of the nature of our identity and the implications of our identity. In other words, we can ask, what does Jesus say about who we are and what exactly should follow from it?
But before we get to that, I want to talk about the origin of our identity. Where do we get our identity? From whence does it come?
I. The origin of our identity
And this is one of those questions that is of the utmost importance in our day. That’s because we are living in a world which is experiencing something of an identity crisis. People are struggling to understand exactly who they are.
But you’ll see that our passage begins by stating in the clearest possible way the words “You are.” Our identity as Christians (and I might say as humans in general, but especially as Christians) comes from the Bible. God has revealed to us in his Word what our identity is supposed to be. We do not have to think overly hard about it because the one who created us has not been silent about who we are.
And so our identity comes from Scripture. That’s one of the primary purposes of Scripture. It tells us who we are supposed to be. It tells us we are made in the image of God. It tells us that God created us to be males and females. It tells us that we are sinners. It tells us who we are in Christ: we are redeemed, sanctified, regenerate. And here it tells us that we are salt and light, which we will get into in just a moment. But all of Scripture is given so that we would have a trustworthy guide when it comes to understanding our identity.
And I mention this because, again, so much of our culture is experiencing an identity crisis. And that is because people believe that their identity originates from other places.
For instance, some believe that their identity is found in their biological make up. They think that their identity is found in the color of their skin or in their genetic make up. That’s one of the problems with the Critical Race Theory today. People believe that the shade of melanin in their skin is the defining factor of who they are.
But the truth is this: your skin is just the wrapping paper of your body. It does not truly shape your identity. You may face some prejudices as a result of that wrapping paper, and you will have to deal with that, but it does not explicitly define you.
Similarly, there are some people who think that their identity is in their heritage. A number of weeks ago I had a young man say to me, “I’m sorry we act this way. Our father was a drunk and is in jail.” And he was making the point that because they had a shared DNA, how they lived their life was wrapped up in that.
But that’s not true either. You are a product of your genetics, obviously. But your chromosomes and your DNA will only say what kind of nose you have or what color your hair is. It is not the mastermind behind your identity.
We could talk about other origins that people look to, such as one’s environment. You’ll hear people even say, “I’m from the ghetto. That’s who I am.” But that’s just a caricature. If it were true, you’re personality would have to change if you got moved to a different context.
But perhaps the place that most people today find their identity is in themselves. That is to say, in their feelings. This is, from what I can tell, what is behind all the confusion regarding gender identity. You will hear men say things like, “I identify as a woman.” Or a woman will say, “I am non-binary when it comes to gender.” In other words, she’s saying she doesn’t have a gender.
People are not wanting to have their babies tagged as male or female because they do not think that the baby’s gender is even possible to discern. You can’t tell how that baby feels. You have to wait until they are able to make that claim on their own.
This is particularly so for those who identify as homosexuals. The development typically goes like this: When I was about 5-6 years old, I started having these feelings. Notice right there, it is about one’s feelings. This person has had some thoughts about people of the same sex and it isn’t corrected. They don’t have a biblical worldview; they don’t have anyone guiding them into what is right. So they feel that these feelings are part of who they are. Then, over the course of several years of allowing themselves to have these feelings, it does come to dominate their life. So it does feel like it is your identity. It’s been a part of you for as long as you can remember.
Again, all of this is subjective. It is feeling based. It’s origin is one’s own personal preferences and emotional sensations. That’s why people are confused. This is why our culture is confused.
This is why as we start talking about one’s identity, it necessary to emphasize the biblical grounding. Our identity does not flow from anything in us or around us. Our identity comes from God and it is revealed ever so clearly in the pages of Scripture.
This is a very important worldview issue for our day and it’s necessary to begin there.
And now that we have a grasp on where our identity comes from, let’s think about what our identity is.
II. The nature of our identity
In this passage Jesus says that your identity can be spoken of in three ways. He says you are salt, he says you are light, and he says you are a city on a hill. Now, these are all metaphors. He’s using imagery to convey his point. But what you should understand is that you are God’s agents of help in this world.
Think about these images. These are all very positive images. Take salt. Salt has a preserving effect. It makes meat last longer and keeps it from corruption. In ancient times they did not have refrigeration. So the meat or the fish would spoil in the hot weather if they just left it as it was. So what they did was pack it in salt or soak it in salty water. Doing that would keep it from bacterial decay so that they could make it last longer.
Light is also a proactive agent. Light helps people see. When you light a lamp you expose the hazards that are out there and create an atmosphere which is comfortable.
Then you have a city on a hill. It is a place of refuge. People cannot easily attack a city that is perched upon a mountain. There’s a sense in which it is a place of safety.
These are all said of you. These are part of your identity. And you can think of the opposite: The world is a place of decay and corruption. It is a place of darkness and evil. It is also a place where you are you are in danger; there is need for constant caution because of the imminent harm that is always lurking about. Because sin, misery, and death are basic components of this world, there is little good that may be found in it.
But God has designed you to be his agent of help. And you, by your nature, are that help! You are identified as God’s agents of help in this world.
Years ago I read the classic, “Lord of the Flies.” And there was a special chapter added at the end of the book where the author was interviewed. They asked him what prompted him to write the “Lord of the Flies.” And he answered by saying this: “I wanted to write a book which told the truth about little children. I wanted to give people a picture what would happen if a group of kids were left to themselves.”
And those of you who have read the book know that these kids start out as civilized boys. But because they were stranded and left unattended, they became savages. They lost all sense of decency and order. They even were involved in a murder.
Now, I don’t know if the author of that book was a Christian or not, but he does a good job of speaking of the de-evolution of man. When sinners are left to themselves they will more and more degenerate into moral and spiritual darkness.
But that’s where you come in. God has created you to be the salt that preserves the world from corruption. You are the light that exposes the dark, evil for what it is and gives the comfort of moral illumination. As a city on a hill, you bring safety and security to your respective places. To put it another way, you, by your life and active presence within society, keep the Lord of the Flies from breaking out.
Now, this can be illustrated in a myriad of ways. But you can think of the Roman gladiatorial games. Do you know why we do not watch these blood thirsty men battle to the death any longer? It is because Christians had changed the moral landscape of the Roman Empire. Christians spoke of peace. They changed how people viewed life. They showed mercy and shunned the games for their abominable savagery.
Towards the end, you had the march of Telemachus. We do not know the exact particulars. But he marched in to stop the fight of two gladiators. He was horrified at the bloodshed that was happening in that arena. He was horrified at the people who were attending and cheering it on. The reports differ in the way the details of how things turned out. Some say the angry crowd stoned him for disrupting their entertainment. Others say that the Roman guards cut him down. Yet another report says that one of the gladiators went ahead and picked him off.
However it turned out, this was a monumental event. It was not long after that the games were ended. Now, it was not Telemachus himself. His act was valiant. But we need to understand that for hundreds of years prior to his march on the Coliseum there had been Christians seeking to preserve babies who were being exposed to death. Christians were loving their neighbors. They were taking care of outcasts and the needy. Most of all, they were talking about human dignity and how the gladiatorial games were an affront to God.
They were being salt and light in the Roman culture. And the end of the Gladiatorial games was simply the outworking of their existence in the Roman society.
Understand, then, that this is who you are. As a Christian, God has created you to be salt and light. Thus, by your very existence you are extorting a radical influence upon the culture. You are making this world a safer place. You are exposing evil and revealing the light of God’s truth. You are preserving this world from moral collapse and helping to maintain some level of righteousness.
There certainly is much more we can say about your identity. Scripture has much to say about this topic. But here you see that you are at the very least, God’s agents of help in this world.
III. The implications of our identity
It should be noticed that Jesus draws out some conclusions from our identity. He says, essentially, if you have this identity, then this is what it entails. And there are two basic implications. One is a warning of God’s judgment and the other is an encouragement to boldly be who you are.
A. A warning: Condemnation of those who are not living according to this identity
Let’s start with the warning. In verse 13 Jesus says, “If the salt isn’t salty, what good is it? It isn’t good for anything! The only thing you can do with it is toss it out and let it be trampled.”
Now, what’s he saying here? Well, we know it’s not a pretty picture, is it? The salt really isn’t salt, is it? And so it has no purpose to serve. And so you get rid of it.
What he’s talking about is someone who is a hypocrite. They may say they are one of God’s people, but really they are not. They think that they identify as a Christian, but it’s all a façade. They are fakes. They are not really salty because they have not been born again and repented of their sins. When it all comes down to it, they are not God’s agents of preservation because they do not have the true identity.
So what happens to them? God comes in judgment. He throws them out and they get trampled. That’s a picture of hell. Since they never really belonged to God, they really didn’t have a preserving effect on the world. And so, when they stand before God on the last day, he condemns them. And they end up being trampled by his wrath and curse.
Now, that stands as a warning. It is to make you truly examine yourself so that you may not be a false convert. If you have not been born again and truly become identified with Christ, you need to beware what is in store. You may look the part, just like a block of unsalty salt can look like salt, but you are not salt.
Jesus knew his audience and he knew that may people are merely pretenders. That’s why he offers this word of warning.
But Jesus also speaks a word of encouragement.
B. An encouragement: Don’t be shy; live it out
In verses 15 and 16 he talks about how you don’t hid a lamp under a bowl. You set it out so that it can light up the room. And then he goes on to say, “Let your light shine before men, so that they can see your good works and glorify God.”
What is he saying here? He’s telling you not to be shy or bashful about who you are. Be bold and live the kind of life that God wants you to live. As you do so, you will be having a radical impact on this world. You may even be an agent of salvation. Those who witness your kindness, love, charity, and grace may be brought to faith and made to worship God.
And so Jesus is simply encouraging you to be who you are. Be the light. Be the salt. Be the city on a hill that you are.
And this is just an opportunity for me to encourage you to not be bashful. Don’t be afraid to talk about the sanctity of life. Don’t be afraid to go up to someone and gently admonish them about the kind of language that they are using. You don’t have to be all up in their face about it. If you talk to them in a winsome way, you can affect much.
And don’t worry about their reaction either. You might feel like they blow you off, but salt still does its work whether or not the dead fish likes it or not. Light has a power over darkness. It always recedes when light comes barging in. What I’m trying to say is that you don’t know the power you may have on their conscience.
Now, as a pastor, it’s always funny to see how this works. There have been times where I’ll be in conversations with people or out playing basketball with some guys at the park. And they’ll be lighting it up with all kinds of foul language. And then, by chance, they’ll ask me what I do for a living, and I’ll tell them that I’m a pastor. And their eyes will open wide and they will realize that they’ve been cussing up a storm in front of one of God’s ministers. And it’s amazing that the rest of the time we’re together their vocabulary gets super clean.
That’s just a small illustration of the power of one’s presence. And you don’t have to be a pastor to have that effect. As you set aside the Lord’s Day, that has a preserving effect on the sanctity of the Lord’s Day. If you were to give up on it, then the world would make Sunday just like any other day of the week.
As you take care of your property and go out of your way to respect other people’s property, you prevent the world from falling further into Marxism and communism. As you act as a peacemaker and deal with your problems the way God wants you to, you become something of a security net for relationships in this world.
You are salt and light, and you should not underestimate the powerful influence you have. And you should be encouraged to be who you are; live the kind of life God wants you to live; be obedient to his commands, and don’t be shy about it. Be bold and you can trust that great things will happen.
You are God’s agents of help in this world.