I recently came across a social media post that read: “You are called to be the salt of the earth. Not the salt of the church.”
The words hit home. I find that I am at my “saltiest” within a church setting. If I were to extend the analogy to the verse in Matthew 5 about being the light of the world, I am most incandescent within a women’s fellowship or mid-week Bible study group.
For most of us, it is far more comfortable and convenient to do life within our Christian bubbles rather than pop into a culture that doesn’t understand or accept us. While we may regularly interact with people who hold differing views at our workplaces, kids’ playgroups, or book clubs, we tend to disengage from meaningful conversations for fear of causing offense or being labeled as “one of those” Christians.
Jesus often withdrew to commune with the Father. He even spent 40 days in the wilderness preparing for the ministry that was to follow. But from Scripture, we see that He spent most of His time with others—often with those who disagreed with or even openly opposed Him. While Jesus spent time teaching and training His disciples, He also attended wedding feasts, ate with tax collectors and “sinners,” walked with crowds milling around Him, performed miracles in unlikely places, and had multiple conversations with Pharisees who attempted to bait Him with their legalism.
What would it look like to engage the culture like Jesus?
Sift through our intentions
In John 9, we read about Jesus healing the blind man at the pool of Siloam. While He had compassion on the man, Jesus also explained that the intent of this miracle would be so “the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:4).
As we engage culture, we may first need to sift through our intentions. Why are we stepping out of our comfortable Christian cohorts? To win brownie points from the Lord? To testify at church about fulfilling the Great Commission? Or to truly display the glory of God by pointing others to Him? May it be obedience to our calling and a desire to glorify God that compel us to engage the world.
May it be obedience to our calling and a desire to glorify God that compel us to engage the world.
Seek out the vulnerable
If our heart’s intention is to glorify God, then we will be attentive to those ignored on the sidelines, we will notice those who have been rejected, and we will have compassion for those who are mistreated. Just as Jesus sought out the blind man when he was cast out by the Jews for his testimony, our ministry to our neighbours will often involve coming alongside the vulnerable even when it is inconvenient.
We cannot expect to engage the culture while also remaining comfortable. Practically speaking, that may mean carving out empty space in our schedules to simply be there for others. May we pray for wisdom to meet people where they are, build relationships with them, gently ask questions, listen to their stories, and look for opportunities to share the gospel.
We cannot expect to engage the culture while also remaining comfortable.
Speak the truth in love
As with the Pharisees who opposed Jesus and refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah, there will be people who embrace their own versions of “truth.” Do we back down from sharing with them, knowing we are setting ourselves up as targets of ridicule and criticism?
While we need to use our God-given discernment to not “cast pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6), we are also called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Speaking the truth without love veers toward legalism. Speaking only loving words without truth veers toward recklessness. We are called instead to present counter-cultural truth that points to the compelling beauty of Christ.
May we seize those opportunities to engage the culture and be the salt and light of the world, and not just the salt and light of the church.