I tasted my broccoli and it needed just a tad of salt. Taking the shaker in hand ever so gingerly I tipped it over my plate and then it happened. The lid came off and a white cascade engulfed my broccoli. Well, so much for that plate of food. Fortunately for me Denny’s quickly replaced it for me at no additional cost.
As I sat there surveying the damage I thought of Jesus’ description of us. “You are the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5:13. I thought of how much damage can be done by people I call “Super Christians.” We have all met them. They are the ones who don’t just add a tad of Christ-likeness but engulf us with holy vocabulary and remind us every other sentence that God has told them to do certain things. Can I be honest with you? I find these people to be obnoxious and so over the top I never want to be like them or even near them.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” I’m very sure Jesus is speaking about being the kindest, most caring, most helpful, most unselfish people around. These are the people who make us feel as if we ever needed help we would come to them. These are the “Real Christians.” Actions do speak louder than words. We do need salt. We can’t live without it. But it has to be added ever so delicately. If it jumps out at you there is too much.
Just today someone called and asked if there was anything at all he could do to help me. I explained that my neighbor across the street mows my lawn, so he said, “Make a list and I will be there.”
Written by Roger Bothwell on August 28, 2017
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