Salt and Light
Updated: Aug 28
You no doubt know I’m a passionate member of a local church, which is itself part of the global church, or ‘Body of Christ’.
A church is not a building nor an institution, but rather a community of individual people who regularly meet together to support one another to follow the way of Jesus, while simultaneously serving and supporting others (regardless of who they are) in practical and Spiritual ways.
Basically, a church is all about people.
Daily Life
Although I’m passionate about church, I’m even more passionate about not living in a Christian bubble.
I’d hate that.
As a follower of Jesus I’m called to be ‘in the world but not of the world’. I’m called to live the way of Jesus wherever I am, demonstrating to others by my character and words – in essence just the way I conduct myself – what following Jesus is all about and why it’s the best way to live.
“Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words” – a quote, often wrongly attributed to St Francis of Assisi, which is nevertheless very powerful
I’m called to be something of a living, breathing, completely authentic piece of human marketing – living among friends, family, colleagues, team-mates and complete strangers but standing out as different.
I don’t try to be different just for the sake of it, but by living like Jesus would in so-called ‘secular’ society that just happens by default… and I’ve learned it’s a very attractive thing.
The Christian Bubble
If I spent my life in church or only hanging-out with other Christians, it wouldn’t just drive me a little bit bananas, it would also mean I didn’t stand out as different.
Being a follower of Jesus amongst other followers of Jesus doesn’t make you particularly distinctive.
On the other hand, being a follower of Jesus among a group of people of whom the majority aren’t Christians makes you very distinctive.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16
A light in the Darkness
Prisons are dark, dark places. They are hell on earth.
I spent a year in jail, wrongfully incarcerated for a crime I didn’t commit.
During my time inside I shared my faith in Jesus completely openly with my words… but it was my actions and behaviours – my ‘vibe’ as my buddy Shane termed it – that made me so obviously stand out as different.
I didn’t swear (much). I held eye contact with everyone I talked to. I chatted to everyone, always with respect. I listened to people. I was consistent. I broke up fights and de-escalated conflict. I was polite. I held prayer meetings for my fellow inmates in my cell. I read the bible with other inmates. I stuck hand-written bible verses on my cell-wall on pieces of paper attached using toothpaste as improvised blue-tack. I even held prayer meetings with prison officers!
One of my inmate buddies, Leighton, nicknamed me ‘Father Dave’ – he said partly because I was a father-figure to other prisoners and partly because I talked about Jesus so much.
Sowing Seeds
During my year in hell I told countless people about the life-saving Good News of Jesus. I sowed seeds of truth in guys’ hearts and prayed that God-the-Holy-Spirit would water what I’d planted.
“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” – Romans 10:14
My first pad-mate (cell-mate) in jail was a man named Gareth. Gaz and I got on well during our 40 days as roomies, during which time I sowed lots of seeds of faith into his then-atheist heart.
I’ve kept in touch with Gaz ever since we first met over three years ago. Those seeds I planted have been carefully watered, tended and nurtured by God ever since… a few months ago I was indescribably delighted and privileged to attend Gaz and his partner Millie’s baptism service in their church – God has utterly transformed their lives!
The Unofficial Gym Chaplain
Chaplaincy is defined as this (according to AI):
“The provision of pastoral, spiritual, and religious care, often within secular institutions like hospitals, universities, or the military, by chaplains. Chaplains offer support to individuals of all faiths and beliefs, or none, and can provide a listening ear, guidance, and support during times of difficulty.”
My buddy Atique is a Muslim Imam, who works as a chaplain for the Islamic faith in our home city of Gloucester in the hospital and university. Atique and I are both members of GIFT (the Gloucester Inter-Faith Team) and regularly enjoy a good chat and laugh together.
One of the places I often bump into my Muslim pal is in our gym, a place I go to every day and have done for the past eighteen months.
During that time I’ve got to know many of the other regular gym-goers and the personal-trainers who work there. My approachable and trustworthy vibe clearly translates into contexts outside of prison, as I frequently find myself being confided-in by men and women facing tough life-challenges including drug, alcohol and gambling addictions and various health issues.
I don’t actively seek out these conversations, rather my consistent presence, sociable demeanour and qualities of my words and behaviours stand out. I basically have a Christ-like vibe, and people are naturally drawn to me when facing life-difficulties in the same way they’re naturally drawn to a source of light when in a dark place.
Baby what’s your Flava?
Over the past couple of years I’ve used a few dating-apps to enable me to meet women. One of the apps I’ve used, specifically designed for Christian-singles to connect, is called Salt.
I’ve met some lovely ladies via the channel; it’s been a privilege to spend time getting to know them and hear a little of their life-stories. One lady I went on a date with last year ago paid me the most wonderful compliment, one that meant way more to me than when ladies have said nice things about the way I look or my intellect. She said:
“You radiate Jesus.”
That meant everything to me.
Another lady I met via Salt paid me a different, but equally great, compliment:
“I’ve never met anyone who weaves their faith so naturally into everything they do in life.”
Again, this meant so much to me.
As a follower of Jesus my role is to be salt in the world, to add interest and help bring-out the truest, most wonderful flavours God has created each individual person to have within them – whether that’s members of my cricket club, those I work with and alongside, my football or rugby mates, in fact anyone I interact with anywhere!
“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 underfoot.” – Matthew 5:13
As a true Christian I need to spend the vast majority of my time amongst people who don’t yet follow Jesus, because otherwise I’d just be like a grain of salt stuck within a container of other salt granules, not actually doing what we’re meant to do by bringing out the true flavours and vibrancy of our world.
Be a Chaplain
If you’re a professing Christian, your job is to be salt and light in the world.
You’re not called to only talk about your faith in Jesus when you’re within a church-building talking with other people who already follow his way of life.
If you are a Christian then you (together with other Christians) are the church – you are the “hands and feet of Christ”, as the late, great Archbishop Desmond Tutu put it.
Wherever you ‘do life’ you are called to be a chaplain – maybe not in the official way that my buddy Atique or the chaplains I got to know so well during my time in jail are – but in the salt and light way of simply ‘being Jesus’ to whoever you happen to be with.
Sowing gospel seeds, just like online dating, requires courage and involves a taking a leap of faith. The best approach to both, I’ve found, is to simply be as open and authentic as you possibly can be and then trust God-the-Holy-Spirit to work in the hearts of those people you interact with.
God watered the seeds I planted in my first pad-mate Gareth’s heart three years ago resulting in an amazing life-revolution for him. I trust that one day the Holy Spirit will bring to fruition God’s wonderful plan for me and my life-mate to enjoy a wonderful life-revolution together…
…as with all things in life, you definitely won’t ever find out how incredible life can be for you unless you take the leap of faith!
Go well and shine bright in the world, with love,
David
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