The Shell

Matt 5:13 “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. NIV

Just outside where we stay, there is an abandoned shell of what was a car. I cannot tell its make, (am just pathetic when it comes to identifying car models), but am sure at some point it was in operation. Transporting whoever was the owner from point A to point B. I am quite sure it was a pride to the owners at that point, loved, cared for, serviced, licensed, insured and secured.

In those days, I cannot but imagine if the owners thought in this season, it would be an abandoned carcass, whose mere role is to stay where it is and remain as it is. To be an eyesore to others, a play stage for kids or just part of the junk on the now turned junkyard.

In its prime years, it had a purpose; it served a purpose to the owner and those that lived around them. It was awesome. But today, it is just but a shell. Some of us are living our lives like this shell – purposeless, unprotected, exposed, dumped, and broken.

Yes, some of us are living lives of perpetual regret, suicidal thoughts are the order of the day, grief and pain has become a portion we identify with and hurtful statements are released every now and then. Isn’t it sad that the world today is filled with broken, if not breaking people? People who are so broken they are afraid to live another day. Afraid to hear one more word from those whom they thought loved them. Afraid that they will say another wrong thing that may further their woes. Afraid that if they expressed themselves they may offend those they love.

Isn’t it sad that others, who are broken, are using their brokenness to inflict pain and cause the breaking of others? Is it not just a shame that one shell desires a similar state in another to be like them – dead, broken, dispensable?

We are all like the biblical Pharisees and Levites, who left a battered man on the side of the road because we feel we have other important things to deal with, which are more than people. We feel we have more power than others, and we abuse them. We abuse our authority, to prove some unwritten point to the weaker element.

However, I am encouraged each time I read about Jesus Christ, because then I realise that indeed we all fall short somehow. Jesus Christ, even though he knew who he was, knew the thoughts of people around him, he never used their weaknesses to further destroy them, instead, he used what he knew and the authority he had to uplift others, to encourage them, expose the best in them, loved them, and developed them.

That is why when we talk of servant leadership, we point ot Jesus, because even though all things in Heaven and on earth are His, he never abused people for it. He was the leader, yet he washed the feet of his disciple. He was the leader yet he prayed more than anyone else. He could have destroyed the world without coming here but no, he is a relational God. He is not concerned about anything but relationships. That’s why he likens his relationship with the church as marriage because there is a special connectedness and intimacy found in marriages. Christ is near us, in us. So the moment we are unfeeling for another person, we have lost touch with our Christian proclamation.

Who could have thought the Samaritan woman would sum up the guts to speak to her village folks, who had dismissed her as a woman of loose morals? Who would think that Peter would be the rock that Christ would build his church on – a man who denied ever knowing the Christ? Is it not Peter who boldly declared the deity of Christ soon after his ascension? And Mary, a demon possessed woman? Would she have stood any chance to serve Christ if we could help it? What about Paul? The list is endless, but the bottom-line is we should use our authority to build each other up.

If one wants to fill an 80 litter container with water from a well, they use a smaller tin. The more you pour out of the tin, the faster the container fills up. What are you filling those around you with? Love? Blessings? Or is it curses? Hatred? Think about it. Soon enough there will be an overflow of that deposit and it will affect you as well.

In a nutshell, as long as one remains in the same frame of mind, not changing, ignoring new innovations, soon enough they become redundant. If salt loses its taste, it is good for nothing but to be thrown out.

It is never too late to work on yourself. It is never too late as long as you live. Make the necessary changes now and be the person God made you to be. Be the friend, neighbor, spouse you are meant to be with Christ being your help.

Prayer

Awesome, loving father, thank you for reminding me always that I am the salt of the world. Forgive me where I discriminated and denied others a chance to be the best they could ever b. Forgive me where I have trampled on others. Help me to be more compassionate towards others and help them too to be accepting of me. Develop me into the purpose you called me for that I may serve in it till I leave earth into your eternal life. Thank you Lord for rebuking the wrong spirit in me and my neighbors, in Jesus mighty name, Amen.