The Watering Hole is a virtual stopping space in the midst of our crazy, hectic, and wildly beautiful week to week lives, to breathe deep and take a drink at the well of the Lord.

Here’s today’s drink:

Are you salt and light or are you just salty and lite?

In my last Sunday2Monday post, I said: “If we find that we aren’t making a difference in this world, that we aren’t doing much, we aren’t being the “salt and light” kind of people God created us to be. Are we just busy pointing at the darkness and gasping? The purpose of the light is to be present when there is darkness.”

Living out what you believe in this world is one of the hardest things especially when you are trying to live out a message the world doesn’t get and demonizes, and on top of that, we have a human inclination to care so much about what everyone else thinks that we regularly go dormant and hideaway. Fear has ravaged our hearts.  If someone disagrees with us, we either lose it on them or we shut down, neither are productive and both make their point more valid or at least shows us the depth of our devotion. More on how to overcome the fear of what everyone else thinks in a minute.

When Jesus came He said to the people: Matt. 5: 13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. ¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither 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. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Jesus said “You are salt,” and “You are the light of the world.” But our saltiness has become a new kind of “salty” that this world calls judgmental. It is the cranky Christian exemplified, one who is irritated or angry about the world, looking left and looking right for anything remotely dark and labeling it as such. This is not the kind of salt Jesus wanted us to be known for. Even our light has become lite, a simpler and less challenging version of wannabe Jesus. Jesus called people out but it was wrapped in love so undeniable that He broke into the darkness, spoke right to the issues at heart, sprinkling in the salt of who He really was. They never left His presence thinking “wow, what a jerk!” He became the best taste of love they had ever had. It changed then trajectory of their lives for forever.  That is what I want to be.

 Jesus called people out but it was wrapped in love so undeniable that He broke into the darkness, spoke right to the issues at heart, sprinkling in the salt of who He really was.

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Question of the day: Have you let fear kill the salt and light in you?

The U.S. National Library of Medicine conducted a clinical trial from October 2002 – October 2017 they used brain imaging technology to investigate brain changes in people exposed to predictable versus unpredictable unpleasant stimuli to measure the effects of fear on the brain. They concluded that people who suffer from anxiety due to a specific instance will exhibit the external symptoms of fear even if an event is perceived to be a threat. It didn’t matter if it wasn’t a real threat. If they felt it was, it was!

Fear has us all wrapped up in a wad. We don’t know what happened to make it that way or how to even begin undoing the mess.  We just want to throw the wad away and move on. Fear has caused us to shut down. We are constantly aware of the fear and apprehension in us,  it puts you on alert. We have become a people we are hyper-aware of sensitive topics. We don’t want anyone triggered and we stay away from what triggers us. So instead of Christ in us revealing the truth, we stick with our closed groups of like-minded people and as a herd, we defend our own opinions and we don’t even give a real answer anymore, we just rant. We create us verse them situations that never ends well. Jesus was killed because of that kind of salty liteness. We don’t know how to be salt and light. We have stopped having real conversations with people. We have to get over the fear factor and start engaging people again.

HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE FEAR OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK:

1. Become aware that you are full of fear – Psalm 56: 3 When I am afraid,
   I put my trust in you. Trust in the Lord to say what needs to be said. We rely on our own selves way too much. The Holy Spirit in you can do what you can’t. Lean in.
2. Search your heart find what exactly is it that causes you to fear. – In this post, I unpack the root of why I had struggled with fear to speak the truth. You will have to do the same. The enemy of your soul has taught you to respond to certain triggers. You will continue to jump to his design if you do not find out for yourself. John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
3. Love them & Talk about it. – Do it afraid. Choose to love them like Jesus does and Shine a light on what is really going on. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Tell them about the love of Jesus, that even in the midst of their struggle He is calling them to come to Him.
4. Drag that fear into the light! And walk away free. – When we drag our fears into the light they can not survive. Fear thrives in the darkness. When I am afraid to say anything to another person. I will state my fear to them. Example: ” I want to talk to you about something but all week I have been struggling with fear and worry that if I talk to you, that you will get upset and mad at me. I love you can we talk?” 1 John 1;7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. Do not let assumption reign in you or in others. Speak plainly and watch what God will do.

Are you willing to become salt and light? You have been called! Let’s go!

Thanks for Listening,

Starla

EXTRA:

I am naming delights on Wednesday. Use this photo or the hashtag #joyoutloud and start naming the beauty, joy, moments that take your breath away and enter into the joy the Lord has for us. Walk through the doorway of rest.