Matthew 13 “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.14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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.
I'm frightened. There are certain times that I am so comfortable talking about my faith. Groups of friends where discussing bible verses or religious allegories is perfectly natural. But there are other times where it is oh so difficult. Like when I am surrounded by people who do not believe what I do. So I stay silent. They joke about faith, or religion, and I stay silent. They talk about doing things I don't agree with and I stay silent. I am so afraid of offending anyone that I cease to have an opinion.
That's not what we are called to be! We are called to be salt, to flavor the world. Once we cease to do that, we lose our purpose, and the world loses its flavor. It becomes bland. We are called to be lights for the world. We are called to illuminate, to shine through the darkness. It makes no sense to turn on a lamp and then cover it with blackout curtains so it doesn't show. Rational? Certainly not.
It's definitely hard to shine though. It's hard to be different. To challenge, to oppose, in a world where tolerance has become acceptance, is foreign nature. It is easier to sit back and watch.
So what is the solution? I don't think that it is feasible or smart to stand on a soap box and preach at every conversation. Certainly, I had a friend who did that to me and it was not received well to say the least. But maybe it would be as simple as voicing what you think, in a very matter of fact, concise way. I don't know. I do know that things need to change. And I want to be part of the solution, not the problem.
Here is also what I am going to attempt. I am going to begin to write some things that could be controversial. I think controversy is good though! A little intellectual debate is healthy for the soul. So if you disagree, disagree! Challenge, argue, search for truth.
C.S. Lewis said in The Great Divorce "For all that can be shaken will be shaken until only the unshakable remains"
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