Salt and Fluorescent Light

I often shopped at a certain retail store when I was a teenager. As I (and my body) have gotten older, I stopped shopping there for one terrifying two-word phrase: fluorescent lighting. The problem with this lighting is that it reveals every little flaw and seemingly magnifies it. I prefer dressing rooms that lie to me. On the rare occasions that I have visited this store in the past few years I have left and gone straight to the gym-suddenly aware of what was there all the time.

It occurs to me that when Jesus calls us to be salt and light in Matthew, this is the type of light He is referring to. It's not always the most popular light, in fact it is despised by many, but it is incredibly important. This light is truthful, revealing, enduring light that forces us to evaluate ourselves and drives us toward change. In today's culture, many Christians say they want to be light, but they don't want to be the fluorescent light, they want to be soft-glowing flattering light. They want to be the light that strokes egos but really isn't much help to a world living in darkness.

You can't change what you can't see, and that is what makes the distinction in the type of light we will be important. We must be honest with people in as loving a manner as possible. We live in a world were being lied to is a daily occurrence. Christians should be able to be relied on as a source of honesty and truthfulness. As a Christian you have a choice; you can be the light that only slightly illuminates, or you  can choose to be the fluorescent light that brings others out of the darkness.