The Salt Series: Part Two – The Influence

“O Lord, you know more than I do that these are not my words, not my wisdom, not my will, it’s not about me. So Lord, would you protect me from the error of my weak mind and take control of my heart as I put these words on paper. I just want to do your will in writing this article and my heart’s desire is that my reader experiences a transformation that only God can give. And like I prayed before, O God please stir up in our hearts a passion for your name so we can become the salt of this earth, Amen”

Let’s remember that Jesus had been speaking to His disciples on the mount, and we concluded last time that the call to be a salt is for believers, in the hope that unbelievers would see the beauty of our lives and ask, “What shall I do to be saved?” In order for that to happen, we must be different. We must live differently. We must act differently. At this point, I would like to be understood clearly; I do not mean we must seclude ourselves and act with a ‘holier than thou’ attitude. When we do that, we lose the opportunity to win sinners and backsliders to Christ. When I use the term ‘different’, I mean experiencing a transformation in your heart and mind that will influence the choices and decisions you make on a daily basis for the glory of God. I have realised that in this present culture and generation, unbelievers are not moved when we profess Jesus (anyone can do that these days); rather they are moved when they see us interact with them and yet make choices that are absolutely counter-cultural and different from theirs. That’s when they pop the question, “Why are you different?”

How influential is salt? How prominent is the faith you profess on others? How significant is your influence on your friends? When was the last time someone saw you (without any previous interaction) and said to you, “You must be a Christian!”?

Consider this: When you pour a spoonful of salt on a spoonful of clay or loam, you will notice the colour of the salt stands out. Why? They look different, feel different and their colours are different. Likewise this broken, dark and dysfunctional world cannot be the same with you in it. God put you in this space called Earth so you can be a Change Agent! Christians are meant to be World Changers! Rise up and make your mark. Leave a footprint that reads… “[your name] was here”. Take a closer look at yourself and realise it’s time you become brutally honest that you may be wasting your life, if you are not touching lives with your faith.

The influence of salt transcends every political, religious, economic and social boundary. Do you realise many ingredients make their way into the pot but only a small amount of salt makes all the difference to the taste! No amount of ‘Maggi’ (seasoning) or pepper can do the work of salt in a pot; neither can another change the world around you like you. That’s the way God intends it, so don’t waste your life. Influence people through your prayers, actions, words, attitude and also your smile.

Remember, salt does not struggle hard to influence other ingredients; neither should you, when God takes control of your life. You will never know how much of an eternal blessing you can become to another by the seemingly ‘little’ choices you make and actions you take. Again I say, rise up, make your mark. Yes, you can make a difference, if you live differently!

Be a salt.