What's it mean to be Salt of the earth...

Salt
We all know about salt.  You put it on french fries, potato chips, pretty much anything your mother-in-law cooks (joke), and foods that just don't make your tongue dance.
Why? 'Cause it tastes good.  Well, technically, that's the result of using salt, but it doesn't answer the question of why adding salt makes things taste good.

Salt is a flavor enhancer. Those of you that bake know that, recipes for sweets often have a bit of salt added. It's there to make the sugar and other ingredients taste better.  This is where the "Salt" part of this blog comes from.
As a Christian, the Word tells me (Matthew 5: 13-16) that I am "...the salt of the earth."  It's a description of who I am - or should be.  If this is true, then I should learn something about it.

Salt enhances flavors. In this way, my life should enhance the life of others.  How I think, speak, act, and interact should be run through this filter of: "Am I actually making this other person's life 'taste' better to them, or am I actually making it worse.
Worse? How could that be?  Ever put too much salt on something? Bleh!

There is such a thing as too much "salt." Being a bit too overbearing in your relationships can sour things.
I see people who lord their Christianity over others with the result of souring their taste for Christ as a result.
Your lifestyle, your demeanor, your reaction to adversity, and etc. all reflect on whether you are enhancing the flavor of others' lives or whether you are too salty and they reject you.

I was trained to confront everyone with the message of Jesus Christ and "spread the Gospel" to all, but the tactics I was trained to used gave ME a bad taste in MY mouth. I couldn't stomach banging on a stranger's door, asking him if he know where he would go if he died tonight, and telling him he was destined for hell if he wasn't saved. Bad Taste.

Does the phrase "Jehovah's Witnesses" come to mind? Heck, they were tame compared to what I was doing.
Was I enhancing these people's lives, or did they shut the door on me - solidifying their belief that Christians were pathetic and highly annoying losers?

I've spent a few years tossing this issue in my head on and off again.  I understand now that I was being too salty.  Instead of enhancing and watering seedlings of hope and faith, I was flooding them.

Now, I still believe that one should tell others about Jesus, but I've changed my personal message.
It's no longer - "HERE'S WHAT JESUS CAN DO FOR YOU IF ONLY YOU'D JUST BELIEVE!!!!!"
My message is now - "Here's what Jesus did for me, even though I don't deserve it!"

When you become part of the Salt and Light Brigade, you aren't pushing the Gospel down people's throats, you're living life with them - sharing your failures and successes.
It's so much fun!

What's it mean to be the "light of the world?

Why Light?
What's light got to do with how you treat people?
Well, along with being called to be the salt of the earth, we are also called to be the "light of the world" - Matt. 5:14.  In this sense, light is a metaphor for exposing things that are familiar with darkness.

There are many dynamics to the workplace environment.  Being the 'light of your workplace world" requires you to refrain from certain activity:
Refusing to partake in gossip.
Refusing to be a willing partner in complaining.
Treating others with honor - no matter their job title.
Working to promote your employer, not just yourself.
Being a servant, when it's not required.
Maintaining a positive attitude.
Listening.
Pushing yourself to be more efficient.
These are just a few examples off the top of my head.

Did you notice that being light has nothing to do with telling people they are wrong in doing those things?  Exactly! Light exposes darkness. Being the "light of the world" exposes people's wrongdoing, not through confrontation, but through example. It's not your job to run around and yelling at everyone - telling them they shouldn't be doing those things. Your job is to smile, be a positive example, and, when others notice that you have a grip on things that they desire, THEN you can tell them why you are the way you are.

Your life is the witness.  God is the one who opens the doors for you.

Work on yourself. As you grow, others will see that growth and curiosity will do the rest.  This works.  It's happening in my own office.  Today!
And am I excited to see where this leads!

BBTO

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For the improved Branded By The One, check out www.brandedbytheone.com!
Thanks!

BBTO

Making the life of another taste better...

I am a fan of lifehack blogs.
It's easy to see the need.
So much of life is being taught to our children through video games and television instead of quality parental time, that they are growing up without the handed-down wisdom, experience, and tradition that living life together establishes.
What do I have to contribute?
Time will tell.
In some instances, I may never know.
At the end of the day, if anything in this blog makes the life of another taste a bit better, then it will have been a good work.
Making the life of another taste better...
Therein lies my personal mission statement.