Do you believe you were placed in this generation, in your specific community, in your particular career, in the lives of certain people, with a specific set of talents, passions, and spiritual gifts, all for God’s glory and a distinct purpose and calling?
I hope so!
You were not born by accident or placed here without cause, my friend. God has a special plan for your life—an intentional purpose for you. And I pray you believe He has equipped you and will continue to arm you with the skills, abilities, and vision you need to fulfill His plan.
“His plan,” you wonder. It is for you to share the message of Jesus and positively influence society for the LORD. I see this challenge throughout scripture, specifically in one of my favorite portions of the Bible, the Sermon on the Mount.
Let’s see what Jesus says about your position of influence.
You Are Salt
“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.” Matthew 5:13-14.
Did you know salt has two neat superpowers? Preservation and flavor.
During the first century, no one had freezers, so those wanting to preserve meat had to cure the meat. This was done by eliminating moisture from the meat so bacteria would not grow. Here is where you see salt’s superpower. Citizens would cover their meat in salt; the salt would draw out the moisture, and bam, the meat became shelf stable. It’s truly that simple. Cover the meat with salt, and the salt will do the rest.
Jesus isn’t calling you to change the world or the hearts of those in your world. That’s His job. Jesus empowers you to help preserve the world where you live. Use your passions, gifts, abilities, and resources to be Jesus to those around you. In doing so, you act like salt, eliminating Satan’s influence (bacteria) and protecting the (preserving) hearts of others.
Salt’s second superpower is flavor. My brother-in-law Steven is a grill master. Over the years, he’s earned the esteemed job of preparing the meat for all family events. It still shocks me to this day that with all his many rubs, marinates, and expertise, his go-to seasoning for steak is salt. Yup, that’s it. One ingredient. Salt. That’s because salt naturally enhances taste by magnifying some flavors and decreasing others. It will make sweet things sweeter and bitter things seem less bitter.
You are God’s flavoring agent. You can show the world Godly love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And by doing so, you lessen the negative influences lurking around.
You Are Light
Jesus continues, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put I 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 men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:15-16
I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled to live in a generation with the convenience of electricity. You and I can walk into a room, flip on a switch, and the room is immediately covered in light. This, however, was not the case for first-century Jews. They used small oil lamps to light their homes and buildings. And although these lamps were effective, they did not radiate light at the same level our lights do today. This caused the Jews to be very meticulous about the placement of their lamps. They wouldn’t place their lamp in the corner of a room or under a clay pot but rather in a place that would illuminate as much light as possible.
Jesus is calling you to shine your influence in the same manner.
Shine BIG and BRIGHT and place yourself in a position to shine as much light as possible. This placement has a lot to do with knowing, using, and strengthening your talents, gifts, abilities, and resources, along with your willingness and discipline to remain lit and available.
There will be days when shining will be challenging, but I encourage you to remain steadfast. Don’t dim your light. Refuse to add anything to this world that doesn’t preserve the Word of the Lord or add to His goodness.
Your Influence
The reason you were placed in this generation, in your particular community, in your specific career, in the lives of certain people, with unique gifts and talents, is so God can use you to be salt and light. Jesus is calling you to influence as you go. From your home, job, school, and community to the places you shop. EVERYWHERE. Be confident in God’s calling upon your life, my friend, and boldly step into your position of influence.
Here are a few questions to help you reflect upon your position of influence:
How do you see your job, studies, passions, abilities, and hobbies in relation to God’s destiny for you and your community?
How can you use your career, gifts, talents, and passions to get involved in society (to be a Godly influence in society)?
Where is God calling you to get involved in society?
Shine bright, my friend. Your faithfulness and relationship with God can impact this world in mighty ways!