Sermonette: Salt of your culture

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13-14).

In this verse Jesus was talking to his followers. He wanted them to understand they were to be salt and light to the world around them. Said in another way, because they existed, the world should have some flavor and things should be much brighter. I believe this is true for all followers of Christ!

Although this should be true it’s not always the case. Sometimes the stresses of life wear us down. Sometimes we allow the negativity at work impact our attitude. Sometimes we may even find ourselves contributing to the toxicity of our culture. When that happens, we need to take a step back and ask the Lord to help us be the salt and light we were called to be.

As we seek to be salt and light in our cultures (workplace, family, community, and church) there are two practical things we can do. First, focus on what you can control. Our tendency is to spend an enormous amount of time worrying about and trying to manage things outside of our control. Realize you cannot change hearts or change minds. Because this is true, do not wait for people to change their behavior before you change yours. In other words, do not let people’s attitudes be an excuse for why you have one. Focus on your own actions and know your positive attitude will be noticed by those around you.

Second, get into the habit of self-reflection. Have you ever responded in a negative manner? We all have! Sometimes we need to slow down to ask ourselves, “Why did I feel the need to respond that way?” What is going on in my heart and why did I react that way? If we do not remedy the issues of the heart our actions will not change either. If one person can negatively impact the culture then one person can positively impact the culture as well. As you start your new week, choose to be the salt and light your workplace needs!