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Feb 18, 2025 18:00pm

Letters to My Children: Be Salt and Light

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To My Children,

As you begin to interact more with the world, you are going to encounter people who think differently than you, believe differently than you, and some who are even hostile to God and living according to his Word. I want you to know how to move among them without turning them off to Christ but also without compromising what you believe.

First, if you claim to be a believer in Jesus Christ, you are light. People are automatically watching you if you profess his name because they want to see if your walk matches your talk—in other words, if the way you live your life lines up with what you say you believe.

Jesus says you are the light of the world, like a city set on a hill for all to see (Matthew 5:14–16). As one who professes Christ, and therefore godliness, you should adorn yourself with good works so that when people see how kind, thoughtful, and servant-hearted you are, they will glorify God because there is consistency in what you practice and what you preach.

Jesus teaches us to be kind to people even if they are not kind to us. Do not try to retaliate if you are picked on, made fun of, or misjudged. Love your neighbors and your enemies. Leave justice and vengeance up to God. Be generous and give to the people around you without expecting anything in return. Practice the golden rule. And as far as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone.

That doesn’t mean you should never stand up for God’s truth. Another part of being a believer in an unbelieving world is being salt.

Jesus says you are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Salt is pure. Do not compromise what you believe or make Christ look distasteful—don’t lose you saltiness—by participating in the wicked works of darkness that unbelievers practice such as sexual immorality, crude or sensual joking, gossip, slander, drunkenness, strife, fits of anger, rivalries, jealousy, etc. Keep God’s commands.

Salt is pure, but it is also healing. In your dealings with the world around you, stay pure and speak truth while doing it in love. When we must stand up for God’s Word, we want to do it graciously so that our words can give life to those who hear instead of being combative and tearing them down. Remember the fruit of the Spirit: be kind, loving, gentle, patient, peaceful, always exhibiting faithfulness, goodness, joy, and self-control.

There is a hurting and dying world out there who needs the healing and life that Jesus brings. Be winsome in your interactions with them and speak of salvation in Christ’s name as often as you are given opportunity so that some of them might know him too and become salt and light.

I love you. Grow in godliness and in your love for God.