Salt and Light

Everyone once in a while someone will share insights with you that will alter the way you see yourself, your work, or the world. It’s a rare thing to have someone share something that changes the way you see the scriptures. I think that is because we hold the scripture (and we should) in such high regard that we are guarded as it pertains to it. I had one of these conversations with a brother and he turned one of my favorites back toward me and it was powerful.

He is also an author and we were talking about the process of getting your book in the hands of those for whom it was written. We talked about faith, and trusting God with your work, we talked about the necessity of book, and even the power of writing books to an underserved population like college students. So, I was definitely encouraged.

Then he pulled out a scripture, that I have lived by for years, "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.” Matt 5:14-16

His point was that I God had given me light to share and it came in the form of a book. So it is my responsibility to not down play or hide the light God has given me, but to put it in the most visible place possible. I never saw that scripture from that perspective. It’s my responsibility to do my very best to market and share the book with all those possible. It freed me from feeling self-promoting. As a preacher/communicator/minister that is always a concern. The key is to focus on what God is saying through the book and His God promoting agenda. Then at the end of the day He is made much of and that is the goal in the first place.