“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:13-16
I think all humans would be better if we thought more before we spoke. Honestly. We let our opinions and emotions cloud our judgement often. We act like play or screen actors, who are often parodied in film as saying “What’s my motivation,” when trying to fill the role they are expected to portray. We SHOULD ask ourselves in our thoughts, words and actions (indeed, in everything we are) “What am I motivated by?” I would venture that if we took an honest inventory of ourselves while asking this question, we’d see much of what we do, say and think is not coming from a Biblical world view, rather, we’re spouting “Christianese” (what is popular to the culture the world has tried to paint us in to). I would venture to say that we often try and play the part, but our motivations are not often Biblical.
I believe that those who follow Christ should be so enshrined in the Scriptures that we would be able to test our thoughts, actions, and even the will of God readily and easily (see Romans 12). I think many of us know what is right, but our feelings, thoughts, social queues, emotions and desire to please others obstruct our processes. Loved ones, we should test everything we do, think and say with the Bible. We should, with the Holy Spirit’s leading, seek to model what God has called us to, not as a way of appeasing God, but to bring glory to His name. Our motivation should be to seek God first and His righteousness in all things, so that we may please Him for His own sake, and not for divine reward, or to escape righteous wrath. Let us check ourselves, always, and seek to be like Christ in all things, taking this world as it comes, and looking forward to being with Him in the next.
Romans 12
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
