Life on Loan

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5: 13-16).

Grandson, Braidon, has been with me for two weeks. His mom has arrived for his third week. As you can imagine, it’s been a busy couple of weeks for me. Both daughters are with me for a couple days, along with two more grandsons. With so many high school and college-age grandchildren, it’s difficult to get everyone together at the same time. I’m grateful for the few days with those who can come. The summer heat is upon us and I am very thankful for air conditioning.  I grew up without AC and survived, but I would be suffering without it today.

My summer reading includes a book by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson, names many recognize as gifted speakers and writers. The book titled, Living a Life on Loan: Finding Grace at the Intersections, explores how serving others provides opportunities for our lives to intersect with other’s lives.

The authors include a section about being salt and light. “Salt and light make a difference in their surroundings.” No one is surprised by that quote but I don’t stop and think, very much, about how that applies to what Jesus said:  You are the light of the world and you are the salt of the earth. This is how Rusaw and Swanson expressed the meaning of what Jesus said.

“Jesus is saying that if you are a person who has discovered God’s love and        grace in your life, you are a person of influence. Not that you could be, might be, should be . . . but that you are.  Jesus compared you to salt and light. His questions are ‘What good is salt that loses its flavor?’ and ‘What use is a light that is hidden?’ Such salt and light have no influence.”

So I have to ask myself, does my life make a difference when it intersects with other’s lives? Do I act as salt by enhancing the flavor or preserving the good in life? Am I lighting the way for anyone or revealing the truth of God by the way I live? The way I live should align with the way Jesus lived and with the truth of God’s word. “A life lived as if it’s on loan from God should be attractive and authentic” (Living a Life on Loan, p. 117).

I need to be more aware of life’s intersections and learn to put other’s needs ahead of my own. I must have a servant’s heart! Jesus did. He said he came to serve, not to be served. I surely miss that mark often. My selfish heart forgets to serve or ignores the need and I’m neither attractive nor authentic. How are you doing at the intersections?

“Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:9-10).