Privacy is highly valued in America. We get home after a long day at work and prefer not to be bothered. We retreat behind our six-foot fences and garage door openers. We all deserve some "me-time," don't we? But the Kingdom is about being salt and light to a lost world.Â
A long time ago, before refrigeration, salt was used as a preservative. Meat saturated with salt wouldn't spoil. As salt, Christians should be the preservative of the world. As we live God's Kingdom principles (Matthew 5:1-12), we prevent the world around us from spoiling.
Salt also seasons food, making a meal delicious. Just as saltless food is bland, so a saltless world is hopeless—without love, joy, and peace. But, the Christian has a spiritual opportunity to season their world. Paul urges us, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Colossians 4:5-6).
Jesus also uses the metaphor of light. To be the light of this world, we must not only study God's Word, but also practice God's Word. As we let our light shine before men, they see God's truth at work in us, leading Christless people to Christ Himself.
Peter writers, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
At the gym, there's an elderly man who never works out, but sits in the pool or hot tub singing old hymns. After watching him for several weeks, I told him how much I enjoyed his singing. In our conversation, he stated that singing is his ministry—how he goes into the world. When people tell him how much they love his singing, he shares his life and shares the gospel. So far, he has had two poolside salvations and holds a weekly prayer meeting by the hot tub.
Everywhere you go today is your "marketplace pulpit." You don't need a microphone to preach the Word. Just let your transformed life preserve and season the world around you. The flipside of privacy is to let your personal faith go public.