Stand out and be distinctive

After the Beatitudes, these words of Jesus are recorded. I wonder if they are said as an encouragement to bolster faith and enthusiasm to keep going in doing the hard things Jesus has been teaching. To show the purpose of developing the kind of character that Jesus has been encouraging the disciples to develop. 

Matthew 5:13–16 (ESV): 

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. 

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 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. 

Disciples of Jesus are meant to stand out, not be hidden. The verses just before this are Jesus explaining the benefits of being; hungry for faith, mourning, being meek, humble, kind, merciful, forgiving, not giving payback, being honest and having integrity. These are the character traits that God rewards, they take time and effort to develop and they also cause people to stand out. How many people do you know who are meek or merciful, or any of the other characteristics? Probably not many, but i would expect that those you do know are people that you admire and respect because of these attributes. Those who believe in and follow Jesus should display these characteristics as they are salt and light to the world - they are born to stand out and be distinctive.

Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth….You are the light of the world”. It is not an option. This is what disciples of Jesus are. This is your identity when you trust and believe in Jesus, you become salt and light. So what does Jesus mean when he says this?

"You are the salt of the earth" - Salt preserves and gives taste, improving the eating experience and keeping things fresh and usable. It can also be used to promote healing. Salt has good properties that are used and appreciated by everyone. It is commonly used, and nowadays is used in many products from food items to cleaning and gardening products. Salt is effective. As people of God you are called to be effective too. Not by doing lots of incredible, mighty deeds, but by standing out as different where you are and in what you are doing. You can tell when salt is present. People should be able to detect that there is something different about you and that you are present because of the goodness and freshness you bring due to your character developed in faith. Also, you are to remain salty. It is not enough to have a go at being meek or honest, but you are to keep on being so, the same for being forgiving and kind and being passionate for God. Do not let the concerns and distractions around you prevent you from being who God created you to be and displaying righteousness. The world needs salt, so keep being salty. This is what Jesus has said you are. Keep demonstrating godliness, meekness, integrity, forgiveness and mercy even when people do not like or want it. Salt in a wound stings, but it also heals, so trust that God will heal the hurting through the character being developed in you. Do not try to tone down who you are in God, you can't tone down salt - you either have salt or you don’t, and if you lose your flavour Jesus says you become good for nothing, fit to be “thrown out and trampled under people’s feet”. You don't want that, so keep being salty! Sometimes fear and despondency cause people to lose their distinctiveness. So make sure you remind yourself of the goodness of God and avoid the fear of man’s disapproval. Later on in the book of Matthew Jesus is recorded as saying, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28). Do not be put off by hardship or persecution, not everyone likes salt. If something is too salty for them, they spit it out. Let them do that without it upsetting or offending you. For they are rejecting Christ in you, but they cannot take away your love and reverence for Him unless you let them. People have not got power to defeat you, but God has the the power to determine your eternal future. So live a life of saltiness.

As a follower of Jesus, you are also the light of the world. You can illuminate the world - what a great privilege and responsibility! Do not dull the personality that God has formed in you, dumb down your faith, or fail to shine in dark situations. Instead allow the Holy Spirit show you how to bring your light in every situation. By displaying the character Jesus has outlined, you can show people what the Kingdom of God is like. You shed light onto the fact that God is real, living and active today. People see that you are different, they see goodness and beauty in who you are and what you are doing because you are the light of the world. This also means that even in the darkest times and places you can see - you have hope. You know in difficult situations that there is an eternal future, so you can keep shining and keep trusting.  Sometimes it may be that you can keep smiling at times when others aren't, that you trust a situation is going to work out or that you are not panicking when bad things happen. Do not be afraid to be that light, and do not hide it. Continue to be the light of the world, how will people know there is a God otherwise?  A light does not choose when it comes on. Once the switch is pressed, it shines. Your light is turned on when you turn and believe in Jesus and choose to follow him.You cannot turn the light within you off, do not try to dim it or cover it up either. Remember that when you are around people ‘see your good works and give glory glory to your Father in heaven’. As you continue in good, godly character, and persist in situations others cannot stand, you are displaying something of God. So, make sure you are pointing out that it is your Father in heaven that equips and inspires you to be the light.

You are salt - you are different and you stand out. Plus you are light - you can see and illuminate the darkness. Do not hide who you are. Thank God that he has made you to be salt and light to the world. By being so, you are showing the world that there is a God who loves and cares for them and can give them a life that is different too - a life of distinctiveness.

What are you desperate for?

 Psalm 119:129–136 (ESV): 

Pe

 129  Your testimonies are wonderful; 

therefore my soul keeps them. 

 130  The unfolding of your words gives light; 

it imparts understanding to the simple. 

 131  I open my mouth and pant, 

because I long for your commandments. 

 132  Turn to me and be gracious to me, 

as is your way with those who love your name. 

 133  Keep steady my steps according to your promise, 

and let no iniquity get dominion over me. 

 134  Redeem me from man’s oppression, 

that I may keep your precepts. 

 135  Make your face shine upon your servant, 

and teach me your statutes. 

 136  My eyes shed streams of tears, 

because people do not keep your law. 

This writer yearns to know more of God’s Word. They pant for it (131) because they want to hear from God and they recognise their need of Him. Without God’s Word this psalmist is parched and desperate, they need His word for survival. Have you ever felt that desperate to hear from God? Do you recognise your own need of Him.

This author is a skilled and intelligent person, we can tell that from the way that Psalm 119 is constructed. Every set of 8 verses starts with the same Hebrew letter. That takes consideration, creativity and intelligent design, especially as each part flows and it all builds to glorify God and His Word. Yet, even though they are a gifted individual with intelligence and capability, they still long for God and thirst for more understanding and godly wisdom. Even though we can see that this person is smart, they still say, ‘The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.’ Maybe at one point in thier life, they felt as if they were simple, or maybe they recognise that God's Word is accessible and relevant to all people. Without God’s Word people live in darkness and have no understanding. For God is the one that provides both. An intelligent writer gifted with words, or a simple person can read the Bible and be inspired, receive instruction, guidance and life. What a wonderful gift God has given His children through His written Word - all have access to it and can get life and light from it! Are you longing to know and understand more of Him through Scripture? Are you allowing your life to be inspired by the Word of God?

Psalm 119:137–144 (ESV): 

Tsadhe

 137  Righteous are you, O Lord, 

and right are your rules. 

 138  You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness 

and in all faithfulness. 

 139  My zeal consumes me, 

because my foes forget your words. 

 140  Your promise is well tried, 

and your servant loves it. 

 141  I am small and despised, 

yet I do not forget your precepts. 

 142  Your righteousness is righteous forever, 

and your law is true. 

 143  Trouble and anguish have found me out, 

but your commandments are my delight. 

 144  Your testimonies are righteous forever; 

give me understanding that I may live. 

As you read the Word of God, you will see how righteous the Lord God is. His righteousness has reigned from the beginning and it continues to reign today. God is ultimately holy, pure and good. Everything He does, says and commands is right and good. So whatever is going on in life for you right now, that is something steadfast and strong that you can hold onto! You may feel ‘small and despised’ but when you know and rely on The Word of God you have The One who is mighty, powerful, majestic, good, righteous and everlasting standing with you! His words and promises are ‘well tried’, so are you loving and depending on them? 

Even if you feel that, ‘Trouble and anguish have found me out' you can have hope and take delight for His ‘testimonies are righteous forever’! You have nothing to fear when you know the truth that God is with you and for you. He is the ultimate, never-ending authority and ensures that His Word is always kept.So, instead of asking for escape from your circumstances, why not ask for understanding? Learn to trust in nothing else, other than The Word of God, for it benefits the; rich, poor, lonely, surrounded, simple and wise, and God's promises to you will always be fulfilled. 

Do you fear the Lord?

Psalm 112:1–10 (ESV): 

1 Praise the Lord! 

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, 

who greatly delights in his commandments! 

 2  His offspring will be mighty in the land; 

the generation of the upright will be blessed. 

 3  Wealth and riches are in his house, 

and his righteousness endures forever. 

 4  Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; 

he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. 

 5  It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; 

who conducts his affairs with justice. 

 6  For the righteous will never be moved; 

he will be remembered forever. 

 7  He is not afraid of bad news; 

his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. 

 8  His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, 

until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. 

 9  He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; 

his righteousness endures forever; 

his horn is exalted in honour. 

 10  The wicked man sees it and is angry; 

he gnashes his teeth and melts away; 

the desire of the wicked will perish! 

‘Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!’ What does it really mean to live as one who fears the Lord and delights in His commandments? A person who fears the Lord is not just a good, happy person who says that they know there is a God. The person who ‘fears the Lord’ is someone who is in awe of God and faithfully obeys Him, in the big and that small matters. Are you such a person? 

It is important to consider this as the psalm states, ‘blessed is the man who fears the Lord’. There is an automatic, guaranteed favour upon those who fear God. This includes a blessing upon their children - they will be mighty, plus their generation will be blessed! All because a person fears the Lord. So if you want to make an impact in the world, want your children to be mighty, and you want to have a positive influence in your generation - learn how to fear the Lord! Helpfully, this psalm gives some indicators as to what someone who fears God looks like, so that you can be someone who is blessed of God who influences generations.

One of the first elements that is expressed of such a person is, ‘Light dawns in the darkness for the upright’. Oh dear, that doesn’t sound much fun does it?! There will be darkness for the one who fears God. At times it will feel scary, confusing and difficult for there will be dark times. Yet when the upright one demonsrtates grace, mercy and righteousness, light will dawn (v4). This is not saying the light will obliterate the pain and difficulty of the dark times, but that one who fears God will come to notice a measure of light. A direction, help and hope which will, in time, transform the darkness just like the dawn does. For the dawn doesn’t remain a glimmer, but it is the beginning of the assurance that a new day is arriving. For the righteous person, when they remain gracious, merciful and righteous throughout the difficult dark times, they demonstrate their faith and fear of the Lord God through conducting themselves in a right manner. Their faith and godly conduct brings an undeniable hope and assurance that is set not on what is around them, but who they know is above them. The person who fears God is someone who is seen as faithful and good throughout the good and the bad seasons. This reminds me that the New Testament says, ‘by their fruits you shall know them’ (Matthew 7:16). This means that you can tell what type of person someone is, not for what they say, but by the results of their words and actions. For when someone produces good fruit, it is because they are healthy and good on the inside. Their faith is genuine and their fear of God real. This psalm expresses the same thing. You can tell if a person lives the faith they profess if they continue to pursue righteousness, grace and mercy throughout the tough times. When you are under pressure, and see that you are in the darkness, do you maintain your integrity? Do you steadfastly believe and trust in God, remaining righteous, gracious and merciful to those around you, ready to forgive and love? This is the way of the one who fears the Lord.

The one who fears God also considers carefully how they handle money. ‘It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.’ Being a good steward of the resources you have is important to God, and so it should be to you too. Do you deal fairly with money? Are you honest about the taxes you pay, the way you lend or borrow? Do you pay people back, and are you generous with what you have? If someone were to look at your bank account today, how would you feel, and what would they see? Your bank account reveals what you value as you spend money on the things that you deem necessary and important. So, does the way you handle money reflect the values of God? He wants to give His righteous ones ‘wealth and riches’, could God trust you with handling such favour well, for the glory of His kingdom?

Next, how do you respond to bad news? Whether that is national, international, or personal bad news. What is your reaction?  Some people become full of fear and grief and these emotions dictate their response. Although it is natural to have emotional responses to the things that occur, is your faith affected? ‘For the righteous will never be moved’. No matter what hits the one who fears the Lord, their trust in God, faith and faithfulness will not falter. They will get emotionally and physically impacted, but they do not let their emotions overcome them. Instead their emotions are overcome by faith. Their hearts are firm not because of circumstance, not because they do not feel anything, or that they do not experience difficulties, but because they trust in God more than anything else. So what directs your responses when tragic news comes? You can be overwhelmed, hurt and disappointed, but do those emotions direct your actions, or does faith in God? Even when it does not make sense to you, even when you are in deep pain, what is the guiding factor in your responses - are feelings or faith in control? You can have a heart that is steady and free from fear (v8) when the only One you fear is the Lord God as then you will never be moved.

The one who fears the Lord will also demonstrate concern and support for others, namely the poor. Do you notice those people and show care to them? This psalm simply says that the one who fears God, ‘has given freely to the poor’. They pay attention to those less well off than themselves, and give to them without expecting anything in return. Throughout scripture we can see that God highly values the poor. He has deep regard and consideration for them, and so as one who fears Him, your response should reflect His. God has been generous, loving and giving to each of us, and so by taking care of others who need it, we have the great privilege of demonstrating a small part of who God is by generously sharing what He given you. 

In all of your affairs, as someone who fears the Lord, conduct them in righteousness, and generosity. Do what is right. There are no elements of life that are excluded from God’s expectation that you behave in a righteous manner. He expects those who fear Him to live lives of integrity, no matter the twists and turns they experience. When a man or woman of God lives in this way, they show that they are moved only by Almighty God. People can try and catch them out, but only righteousness, generosity, grace and mercy are revealed. No wonder their generation and future generations are blessed! ‘Blessed is the man who fears the Lord’! - will that be your story?