If it was a crime to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Being a Christian is not about following a great idea. No, it is about following a man named Jesus, who at the same time is God. So, how do we identify a Christian? Jesus charged His disciples to be light and salt.

Light shines and no darkness can overcome light. So, we must shine before others. Why? To lead others to Jesus. If we have light, we will not look like the darkness around us. Some wish to put out the light in us. And why? Because our light shines before them and shows them their sins. They do not want to confront or see their sins. Christians have been martyred from the beginning because this. Christians do not live as others live. They hold themselves to a higher moral standard. If we are not making others uncomfortable, we are likely not shining.

And what of salt? It works both to flavor and preserve food. If we are salt, we will preserve the goodness that is around us. And what if there is no goodness around us? Then, we bring the flavor of goodness to where we are. We can be the goodness. If we are good, then there is always goodness where we are. And if we find goodness, we can preserve it in others as ones who can provide encouragement for those who have goodness. There is a solidarity within the Christian community that builds one another up.

If others see our light and we are salt to the earth, there will be no question if we are Christians. Others will readily identify us as Christians. For being a Christian is a way of life, not something we just do for an hour on Sunday. If we are true Christians, we will be light and salt everywhere we go. The darkness cannot overcome the light, because our light is not from us. No, our light comes from “The Light of the World”, Jesus. [John 8:12]