“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 underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16, NIV
My hallway was never quiet. The teacher across the way was known for loudly and proudly belting out showtunes at any given moment, whether during passing time or during class. Another teacher, three doors down, was known for raising her voice so loudly (in enthusiasm, not discipline) that we could all literally hear her through the walls and closed doors. Another teacher threw candy at the students as prizes for right answers in math class…and didn’t hold back: he’d chuck that candy as hard and as far as he could. Kids were ducking and diving in the aisles!
And these, of course, were everyone’s favorite teachers. It’s natural. We are drawn to people who are brave enough to be themselves and stand out in the crowd…probably because most of us are too afraid to do it, even though we’d secretly love to be more authentic more of the time.
Jesus was the ultimate example of someone who didn’t care about the criticism of others or shy away from standing out in the crowd. Why? Because He knew what He knew, and no one could shake him from it. And as Christians, our ongoing work and purpose in this life is to progressively and continually become more Christ-like, glorifying Him in all we do. So in Matthew 5, he tells us to be salty—to flavor and enhance the world by our godly presence. Otherwise, our presence is good for nothing, and will get lost in the crowd, trampled underfoot.
Jesus tells us to be the light in a dark world. And the darker it gets, the brighter we should shine. This means that the Christian walk is not one of gradually amassing more friends and more followers, of being accepted more and more. No, if you are becoming more Christ-like, then like Christ, the world will hate you more and more. This, if we’re honest, doesn’t sound like a fate something we’d line up for, does it?
But oh, how great and glorious a reward the Father will have for us! To someday stand before the Lord and be able to say you stood your ground for Him, rather than having to try to explain why you chose your own pride and ego instead to fit in…which conversation do YOU want to have?
So, you may not have the boisterous type of personality that compels you to sing show tunes to your students and anyone else within earshot. But we ALL can be the ambassadors for Christ that we are called to be: salt and light. Flavor and contrast. Something different in a hurting, suffering, hopeless world.
Lord God, please help me today to walk well in the calling You have prepared for me. I know that the people I encounter and the places I will be today are all part of Your plan. I don’t know all Your plans, God, but I don’t have to. I just have to be obedient and unafraid to stand out. Lord, please embolden me with Your Holy Spirit to stand out in the crowd for all the right reasons: to bring glory and honor to You. Help me to walk in a way today that will make YOU proud. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright Rhapsody Jordan-Parisi.
Rhapsody is a Christian Educators member and high school English teacher from North Carolina. She is passionate about helping overwhelmed teachers reclaim their time and peace of mind through support, encouragement, and intentional strategies. You can connect with her at tightropeteaching.com.
