WISDOM FOR IMPACTFUL LIVING

“You are the LIGHT of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” – Matthew 5:14

GOD gives Insight and WISDOM for IMPACTFUL LIVING: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the LIGHT of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mt.5: 13-14). Salt and light are agents of Impact. Both have properties which affect things around them. Likewise, every Believer in Christ is called by God to be an Agent of Positive Influence on the world around. Earlier, Jesus had taught His disciples that He would make them fishers of men (Mt.4:19). Then, in this Sermon on the Mount, He reeled out the Beatitudes (vv.3-12), followed by these illustrations of salt, light, and a city on a hill.

Jesus used these imageries to describe the roles of His followers in the world. Originally, He taught these truths to a Jewish audience who as God's chosen people possessed His Word for the world. They should however be extended to all Believers: we are to have impact on our world. The Lord sent out His disciples to surrounding towns, to preach repentance and the coming of God’s Kingdom. By the end of His earthly ministry, He had clarified the universal application of the gospel as the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20). All Christians have a mandate to spread the Gospel of Christ as Salt and Light. We are to do as much good in His Name as we can, and we are to share the light of the gospel with as many as we can.

Salt enhances flavour, sweetens, preserves food from decay, and induces thirst. Salt cannot be stopped; it dominates its surrounding. Salt is unique in taste and doesn’t lose its savour to other ingredients. The quantity is not the issue; a little salt makes a great impact! Also, salt cannot be “good for nothing” except it has mixed with dirt or sand. Evert believer is also good for something! To ‘be salt' means to deliberately seek to influence people by showing them Christ’s unconditional love. Believers are preservatives to the world, from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly persons whose unredeemed natures are corrupted by sin. Believers stand out as “enhancers” of the flavour of life by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

Light is also impactful in unique ways. Light cannot be boxed-in. It attracts attention. Light enlightens and illuminates. Light liberates from darkness; it enlivens, lightens, and lifts hearts and souls up from depression. Isaiah prophesied: “Arise, shine; for your Light is come!” (Isa.60:1-3). Light is symbolic of awareness, knowledge, and understanding. To ‘be light’ means to be a witness to others concerning the truth of God's Word (Eph.5:8). Impact implies affecting our world positively; being a plus not a minus; a contributor, not a detractor; a distributor, not a parasite. Impact transcends location and generation!

God needed only His Son to make an impact in the world. Jesus needed only twelve men. Now, every Believer has been redeemed to be a Person of Impact. We were saved to live lives of temporal and eternal Impact: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pet.2:9). A Life of Impact begins with the discovery of our identity in Christ and our purpose in life; a sense of mission. People who make outstanding impact on their generation are people of purpose, people of “one thing” (Phi.3: 13-14)! Salvation is a seal of Distinction. Redemption is a guarantee for a Life of Impact.

The Lord commands us: “Do business till I come” (Lk.19:13b). As Believers in Christ, we are boundary-breakers, frontier-expanders, limit-extenders, pace-setters, trail-blazers – the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a city set on a hill! It’s time to arise, shine, step out, and stand out through the Instrumentality of Insight and Wisdom for Impactful Living!