God has shown me continually what it truly means to follow Him and be salt and light to the world. As I’ve spent time 
with Him, learned from His Word, and studied it with others, the Lord has shown me two important parts of following Him – seeking Him and His Truth, and then walking out what He calls me to in His Spirit. In this post I want to talk about these two things and why they are so important to our walk as children of God and being salt and light.
Our relationship with God and our influence on those around us all begins with seeking the Lord and spending time with Him. This is one way that we become set apart and different from those of the world. The depth of our relationship with the Father is the basis of our life and of our ministry each day, for without learning from the Lord, we cannot pour into the lives of those around us. If something is salty, it has a distinct and almost different flavor – our relationship with God is one thing that gives us a distinct difference that the world does not have, as we learn from Him and live out what we learn.
If we truly want an intimate relationship with Yahweh, we must be dedicated, devoted, and intentional to spend time with Him daily! Think about it: if you want a relationship with someone, spending time with them is a must. I encourage you to always strive to go deeper in your relationship with Jesus – whether you feel you should start spending time with Him each day, or spending more time than you already do, going deeper is so important – we don’t want to be lukewarm or stagnant! Time reading His Word and praying cannot be replaced with other things. This is where our souls get refreshed, where our hearts find fulfillment, and where we learn how to live. God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation, all has Truths for us to learn from and follow.
The second part of living for the Lord is living out what He teaches us – this is another thing that makes us different, and it’s also how we are light to those around us! If we spend time with our Father and have His Truth in our heart, that is wonderful! However, it becomes dead when we don’t use what He teaches us, or live out what His Word instructs us (as James 2:26 says, faith without works is dead). It’s like a dead body, it just sits there and has no real purpose. We all have purpose inside of us, we all have a destiny that the Lord has pre-planned for us. It’s up to us if we will live like it.
I know that both you and I have an impact on others each day – our family, our friends, members in our church, students in our school, co-workers, even strangers at the grocery store. They see us, and my question for you is, are they seeing a Christ-like example? Do they see joy, love, hope, and obedience to God’s ways? Do they see someone humbly striving to walk as Jesus walked? Your life matters, because you were created by God to be salt and light to this earth. Even the strangers you pass in public notice you, and will see how you are acting. If you are living like Jesus, following His Word and His calling on your life, they’ll see that and wonder why.
You might be reading this and be wondering just HOW you can develop your relationship with God and show a Christ-like example to others. I want to encourage you first and foremost, to make sure your relationship with God is top priority in your life. If it’s not, other things will crumble and be messed up. Matthew 6:33 says: But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. There are a million things we can worry about, but when we seek God and His Kingdom first, all other things will be added to us, and that is a promise from a God who never breaks His promises. Spend time with Him each day, whether it is 5 minutes or an hour, and you will find true refreshment and joy from His glorious presence!
Second, I want to encourage you to practice what you’re taught – whether it be in church, in Bible study, or in your personal devotion time. We can’t be salt and light to this world if we don’t live out what God teaches. While others see God’s Word as boring guidelines of “do this, don’t do that”, His Word has boundaries that don’t hold us back, but set us free. All parents give their children guidelines, not because they’re dictators, but because they love their children and want what’s best for them. The same goes for God. Following God’s Word is something we do out of a love of our Savior, and not out of being pious. Ask God for the grace to humbly submit to His ways and serve Him with a fervent love for His Word. May we say like the psalmist, ‘I will delight myself in your statutes. I will not forget your word.’ (Psalm 119:16)
Lastly, I want to encourage you to be alert and aware of ways you can reach out each and every day, and what God is calling you to do. Maybe there’s a desire God has given you that you’ve put back up on the shelf and ignored. Or maybe there’s someone you know who needs the Lord, and you have been neglecting talking to them and reaching out. As previously mentioned, we all have impact on those around us, and it’s up to us if we’ll choose to be light to them. We never know when a day could be our last, so why waste the present? Ephesians 5:15-16 says: Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
I hope that this post has been an encouragement to you today, to truly develop your relationship with Christ and live out what He teaches. Your life has impact in so many more ways than you realize, so truly seek the Lord and use your life as an offering to Him, loving and serving all those whom He puts into your path!
About the Author
Caitlyn is a young lady who loves the Lord and strives to live for Him. She hopes to encourage and challenge others to live for the Lord through her daily life and writing. She likes writing, reading, making crafts, hand-lettering, and playing her guitar and ukulele. You can check out more of her writing at her blog, Salt and Light: https://youaresaltandlightblog.wordpress.com/