It's Not What You Know That Counts

When I was in the seventh grade a teacher told me something I have never forgotten. She said, "I would rather have a student with an A character and a C grade card than a student with an A grade card and a C character." Our character will go much further in impacting those around us than will our knowledge. When Jesus taught the Beatitudes his goal was not just to fill our minds with knowledge. He wanted our spiritual character to be so changed that we would reflect his nature to all we meet along life's way.

When we have BEcome what we should be then we can demonstrate before others the person of Jesus. The four verses that follow the Beatitudes are known as the similitudes because we are encouraged to be similar to two common things the first of which is salt. In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." When salt became stale and tasteless in Jesus' day it was then used to throw out on the walkways to keep the weeds down and people walked on it. What a shame it would be to totally miss our purpose for existence and have no real use in impacting our world.

Salt has been used for a number of things. Before refrigeration it was used to preserve. Scripture indicates that we through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives are to be preservatives in this world for the principles and standards Jesus has given us. Salt is also used to season food. Likewise, we are to be a flavoring in an otherwise unappealing world of disobedience and wickedness. Salt also has healing qualities. A dog licks its wounds so that the salt of the saliva will aid in healing. We also function as a healing agent in our world that is so diseased with sin. Finally, we must recognize that salt is an irritant in an open wound and when we touch the open sinfulness of our world their will be some reaction as a result.

However, in all its uses the physical salt we take for granted leaves our food extremely bland and tasteless when left out. If we are to present our Lord and his message to a needy world we must become his salt. We may know everything there is to know about God and the Bible but if we don't experience change and BEcome the salt of the earth we won't count for much. Allow the grace of God to be seen and sensed in your life. Be the salt of the earth.