Where's your flavor?

Have you ever been really hungry? I mean really hungry? So hungry that you felt as if you could eat just about anything! Have you ever had a big time craving for a particular food? A craving that was so serious you got up at midnight or drove a long distance to get it? Last question; have you ever had a craving, got what you were craving only to be disappointed because the food needed...flavor, namely salt? Did you know that salt is essential for animal life, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes? Salt is also one of the oldest and most universal of food seasonings and it is used as an important method of food preservation. I'm sure that there aren't many places in the world where salt is not used. Now what if you got that craving, added salt and nothing changed about the flavor of your food? Wouldn’t you think that strange? Thinking of salt made me think about our Christian walk. Mark 9:50 says, “Salt is good but if the salt loses its flavor now will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another.” To me this scripture is saying there is no flavoring that can give salt a taste… so if salt is “saltless” it is then useless. I have a point bear with me. Matthew 5:13-16 says, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” I said all of that to say this, if you are calling yourself “salt” or a Christian, then you must function as such. Flavor those around you with the word of God, showing love and kindness. After all if we are supposed to be the salt of the earth then the earth should be seasoned with God’s love, forgiveness, peace and so forth. The world is hungry for THE TRUTH. It is up to us to be the salt God intended us to be. Where’s your flavor? Think about it.

He'll NEVER pass you by!

Have you ever walked passed someone on the street and not noticed them even though you should have? Have you ever walked by someone you knew on the street and didn’t realize it until they called your name, and though they were related to you or you knew them you simply passed them by. I recently watched two Youtube videos that brought these questions and thoughts to mind. Both videos were experiments on today’s society and how we often take people for granted or just plain over look people in need. Both videos also pertained to the serious problem of homelessness in our society today. In the first video family members volunteered to be made over into homeless people and placed on the street where another unsuspecting family member was sure to walk pass them. In ever single case the unsuspecting family member walked right past their, mother, sister, uncle or cousin without so much as a second glance. It was only after they were shown the video of themselves walking past their relative that they realized how much they tuned out the homeless, so much so they had failed to recognize their own family member dressed as a vagabond on the street. The second video was called “The Homeless child experiment.” During this video the producer was trying to show the insensitiveness of Americans. He had a child actor dressed as a homeless boy holding a sign asking for money to feed his sister. Needless to say, over the course of the entire day hundred’s of people in different busy locations simply walked past this child; many of them after looking directly at him AND reading his sign. I don’t know about you but I have been guilty of simply concentrating on myself, my business and my needs so much that I have walked passed by people I knew as well as people who were in need. These videos were an eye opener. I’m not saying that I’ll be scoping out homeless people to help, but I can say I will be more attentive and help out when I can. I also said all that to convey this message, “Isn’t it great that God is NOT like man!” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” So remember that in times of lowliness, or need, when it seems the world and everyone around has abandoned you; our God and Creator is and always will be with you, He will never pass you by! Think about it!