Salt and Light

I'm going to do something I will rarely do on my blog. I'm going to get on my soap box for just a minute.

I read from Matthew 5 this morning in my Praying Toward the Election prayer guide. You know the passage, "you are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world..." Jesus urged us to be salty and to shine brightly.

I heard a preacher remind me once that salt was more than seasoning in Jesus' day. Salt slowed decay. When I moved to Tennessee I was introduced to "country ham." I'm thinking that salt didn't quite slow that ham enough! But, nonetheless, the salt-curing process make that ham "ok" to eat long after it was alive and kicking!

Salt was also used to heal wounds. (ouch!) So...when Jesus said "you are the salt of the earth" He was telling us that we are here to "slow the decay" and "heal the wound" of sin's festering sore!

Jesus also said "you are the light of the world. He said, "people don't light lamps and put them under bowls! They put them on lampstands!" And boy do they ever! What good is light if not for shining in the dark?

I'm sitting here hours before the election. Perhaps the most interesting presidential race ever. And although I don't know what the majority of American's will say with their vote tomorrow, I do know that just the fact that we're faced with such a choice tells me that America is much darker, much more decaying and much more wounded by sin than I knew before we got to this day.

And I have to wonder, why is that?

Is it because our salt has lost its saltiness? Are we hiding our lights under the bowls?

Perhaps we've seasoned our fellowship with other Christians and forgotten that our salt was given to us for much more than flavoring our worship gatherings.

Perhaps we've illuminated our houses of worship so brightly that we've completely forgotten how dark it's gotten outside those doors.

I don't know if Obama or McCain will be elected tomorrow. But I do know Who I trust. And I know Whom I serve. I know Who's called me to be His own. I know that He will remain where He's always been--on His Throne. And my friends...I know what He's told me to do:

"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 by men. You are the light of the world. A city 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 everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16 NIV

Don't stop voting your values when you leave the polling place tomorrow. Keep casting your vote as you live your life. God has always blessed America--He's longing for us to join Him.