We’re all familiar with the idea of family first, and as a follower of Christ, we see this example and charge lived out and spoken about by Jesus Himself. He was always about His Father’s business, and He encouraged His followers to always put family first (Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:22-23, 1 Timothy 5:8).
Speaking of family, the moment we surrender our heart to Christ, we become a part of the family of God, joint heirs with Christ, adopted into the fold of God’s family. Therefore, it’s not only our nuclear family that we must prefer, but our spiritual family as well.
Family and friends (or framily as I like to call it) are those we fellowship and do life with daily. We are each a small part of a bigger community, and let me tell you, there is strength in numbers!
The following two passages illustrate the power of this idea of prioritizing framily and the difference that priority can make in and beyond our community.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 14:34-35 (ESV)
We see this analogy of salt and light in scripture, but as I studied these two passages recently, I had a lightbulb moment as the Holy Spirit illuminated this truth from God’s Word and called me to more effectively live it out in my world. I pray He uses it to reveal truth and ways of practical application to your heart as well.
I have always read these passages and thought of salt as a substance reserved for use in the kitchen, adding flavor and preservation to food. And while we certainly can apply that analogy to the Christian life, as I dug a little deeper, my focus shifted from NaCL (sodium chloride) to KCL (potassium chloride), or potash, a substance used in the fields. The concept of being salt became more agricultural than culinary.
My familiarity with salt as a flavoring and preservative was challenged by this new idea of salt being used outside, in the soil, as a fertilizer and disinfectant. I started to understand this call to be salt of the earth beyond just me, and more about me and my framily — friends and family — my Christian community.
What quantity and quality of salt and light are we displaying in the world around us and how does that change both us and those around us?
Salt, in large quantities, was used as a fertilizer to make good things grow, and ironically, salt, in large quantities, was also used as a disinfectant to inhibit the growth of bad things.
Speaking of family, the moment we surrender our heart to Christ, we become a part of the family of God, joint heirs with Christ, adopted into the fold of God’s family. Therefore, it’s not only our nuclear family that we must prefer, but our spiritual family as well.
The word soil in the Luke passage is the same word for earth in Matthew. In Bible times, a salt box was left outside, near the dunghill (no indoor plumbing in those days) to spread on feces to disinfect and stop the spread of disease. It’s a graphic picture, I know, but it truly helped me see and understand more clearly the beauty of community.
When we link arms with other brothers and sisters in Christ within the safety of community, we can then impact not only our individual families, but also the larger society.
In the kitchen, maybe a dash of salt will do, but in the world at large, we must find strength in numbers, put framily first, and live differently than society, in large quantities and with great quality, as part of God’s family. That’s the only way God can use us to be salt and light, and promote growth in our families, in our communities, and ultimately in society.
Author Info
Tabitha Deller
Tabitha is a wife, mom, author, teacher, and speaker. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, Steve. They have four sons, Joshua, Caleb, Nathan, and Isaac. She loves words — written or spoken and is passionate about God’s Word and the life changing truths found in it. From reading it to living it out in word and deed, her heart’s desire is to challenge others to do the same. She has authored and taught Bible Studies for large groups, small groups, and online groups. Encouraging ladies of all ages and life stages is Tabitha’s passion, and she does that through speaking at conferences, events, and retreats. You can find out more about Tabitha, her Bible studies and Devotional, and her speaking schedule at www.tabithadeller.com.