Many of you readers know me. My name is Amy and I am Blake's mom. I ran across the following article and thought I would share it with you. I know Blake was deeply touched by the Holy Spirit and I know from his actions he was an effective witness for Christ as is mentioned in this passage. We never know when our time is going to be up on this earth as evident in Blake's tragically early passing and we need to make sure we glorify the Lord in everything we do. As you know Blake wasn't shy in sharing his love for the Lord. He touched so many lives and I am proud of him. God bless you all.
Amy, Blake's mom
Effective Witness 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 by men. You are the light of the world. ...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:13-16). Susan came to me with multiple complaints. Although her physical aliments were real, it seemed clear that there was an underlying spiritual problem. After addressing the specific complaints over a couple of visits, Susan began to reveal the real bane of her existence. Her marriage was failing. Despite the happy façade she created at work and church, she felt isolated and of no value. When I suggested that God could help restore her marriage, she confessed that she had never felt that she really knew God. She knew about him, but she did not know him. She did not have the assurance that she was “part of the family.” After counseling with her pastor and me, Susan made a knowledgeable and intentional decision to accept Christ as her Savior and Lord. The change in her life was real. The subsequent joy she reflected so affected her husband that he too accepted Christ. As they matured, they became counselors to other struggling couples. A marriage ministry was born in their church that was conceived in an exam room. - Dr. Gene Rudd We who are Christians are witnesses, whether we choose to be or not. As his followers, our choice, therefore, is either to be good witnesses or bad witnesses. Jesus chose salt and light as metaphors for who we are in relation to the world around us. It is not a question of “if,” it is a question of “what kind” of salt or light we will be. Good salt adds taste and preserves. Salt that has lost its saltiness is worthless – to be thrown out. Light that is hidden serves no purpose, either. But good salt accentuates the taste of godly things and makes people thirst for righteousness. And bright light illuminates his presence and work in our world. The apostle Paul wrote: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col. 4:5, 6). Paul is suggesting that our words and deeds be tasty and winsome to those around us. To be tasty, they must be full of grace, pleasant, and “seasoned with salt.” Have you ever had fries or mashed potatoes without salt? Blah! Too much salt also spoils the flavor (as well as one’s health), making both fries and our witness unappealing. But, salt in the right proportion makes potatoes irresistible–you eat some and want some more. Our witness should be like that: tasty to a world that is hungry for flavor – a world in great need of the Bread of Life. Just as we seek proper salt balance in our patients, God calls us to be salt and light in just the right dosage. Dear Father,
Help me to know the longing you feel for your lost children to come home. Give me the will and the words to share your truth with those I encounter. Help me to be both kind and bold such that these people are drawn toward your love. Amen *Adapted from Practice by the Book |
