Readings for today: Proverbs 10-12, Psalms 1
Jesus calls His disciples the “salt” and “light” of the world. His desire is for His followers to live righteously so we might provide hope for those around us. It could be in our homes. It could be in our cities. It could be in our nation. It could be around the world. We are called “light” because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. As such we live lives of integrity and purity and holiness and self-discipline and joy and peace. These things are the fruit of the Spirit’s presence and can only come from Him. Human beings, at their best, can only produce these things partially and temporarily, never fully and completely and permanently. We are called “salt” because through us God brings His righteousness and provision and protection to the world. As we “dissolve” into our communities, righteousness begins to work its way like leaven through a whole lump of dough. Evil is restrained. Sin is held in check. The Kingdom of God begins to advance. Lives are transformed. Hell is emptied. Heaven is filled. This is what God desires for His world and He works His great plan through His chosen people.
Jesus didn’t come up with this on His own. (Well, maybe He did since He is God!) He is essentially rephrasing what King Solomon once wrote in the Book of Proverbs. “When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices; when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting. A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.” (Proverbs 11:10-11 CSB) Solomon could see the impact of righteousness on a nation. When he ruled with righteousness and made decisions according to God’s wisdom, Jerusalem rejoiced. All of Israel celebrated. Every family and every home was filled with joy. Even the pagan nations around him recognized the blessing of God. When Solomon began to follow his own heart and wisdom and when he sought to rule out of his own strength, the city began to fail. The nation began to suffer. Every family and every home struggled under the oppressive weight of his rule and reign. Enemies began to rise up all around him. After he dies, the nation is literally torn in two.
There’s nothing new under the sun. Human society has always functioned best when it seeks to run on the fuel of God’s righteousness. Human society has always suffered when it seeks to live off its own righteousness. We simply cannot produce what we need to thrive. In fact, we can barely produce what we need to survive. This is why it’s critical for God’s people to trust in the Lord with all their hearts and lean not on their own understanding. We must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness if we are to fulfill our calling to be salt and light in the world. If we want to see revival come to our homes, our cities, our nation, and the world; we must pursue righteousness in our own hearts.
Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 13-15, Psalms 2