Salt, Light & the Grammys

I didn’t watch the Grammys. Let me just say that up front. From the news stories (I use the term news loosely. I have a personal pet peeve of celebrity gossip being referred to as news), Facebook posts and the few video out takes I’ve seen, that was a good choice for me. Yes, I’m somewhat disheartened by what passes as entertainment these days. But, let’s be clear. That didn’t start or end with the Grammys. It’s been there. All along. Creeping in a little at a time. I’m not sure why we, the church, are up in arms suddenly, even for a few moments, as if this were actually news.

What has been more disappointing and disheartening to watch is how Christians are so quick to personally attack each other and unbelievers. Do you get that there is ultimately only one enemy? It isn’t your Christian brother or sister who may not have the same opinions that you do. It isn’t unbelievers. If the enemy can divide us as believers, he gains some ground. If we attack unbelievers and create an us vs them mentality, he gains some ground. If we act so unlike the Christ we claim to serve, he gains some ground. I don’t want to be the one who gives it to him. Do you?

Jesus summed up all of the law in two commands. Love God. Love people. Maybe, just maybe, if we started weighing everything we say, everything we do, and even everything we think (everything we watch, everything we listen to, everything we read) against those two directives (directives, not suggestions), the world would actually begin to see the light we are called to be.

It doesn’t sound difficult, does it? But yes, it does indeed get messy. So can I just encourage you (yes, you)? Let’s not get distracted from our focus (scroll up and read those 2 commands again). Let’s help each other keep those directives and let’s do it in love. Let’s become the beacon of light we are called to be. Let our love for God and the people He created season our lives and the world around us. He’ll do the rest. It isn’t up to us. Love God. Love people. That’s it. What could be messy about that?