Living as Salt and Light
Feeling pressure to blend in and keep your faith private? In this episode, discover what it means to live as salt and light, standing out through authentic, humble living that points others to the hope you have in Christ.
Feeling pressure to blend in and keep your faith private? In this episode, discover what it means to live as salt and light, standing out through authentic, humble living that points others to the hope you have in Christ.
Have you ever stayed quiet about your faith because it was easier to just blend in?
The world constantly pressures us to fit in, keep our convictions private, and not make waves. Over time, it's easy to hide the light we've been given, to stuff it under a basket where it doesn't bother anyone, including ourselves. But Jesus didn't call us to blend in. He called us to stand out. Not with arrogance or judgment, but with humble, authentic living that makes people curious about the God we serve.
In this episode, we look at the remarkable story of Desmond Doss, a young soldier who reported for duty in World War II but refused to carry a weapon. His fellow soldiers mocked him, called him a coward, and pressured him relentlessly to pick up a rifle. But Doss didn't waver. He served as a medic, believing he could save lives instead of taking them. On the battlefield of Okinawa at Hacksaw Ridge, he stayed behind under fire, unarmed, and rescued an estimated 75 wounded soldiers one by one, praying after each one, "Lord, help me get one more." He became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor.
Through his story and Matthew 5:14–16, you'll see what it looks like to be salt and light in a world that desperately needs both. Your good deeds, your character, your kindness, your integrity, are meant to shine so that others will praise your heavenly Father.
BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL DISCOVER:
- What Jesus meant when He called you "the light of the world" and why hiding it defeats the purpose
- How being salt and light works, preserving, adding flavor, exposing darkness, and guiding others toward hope
- Practical ways to stand out for Christ in your workplace, neighborhood, and everyday life without arrogance or judgment
Jesus didn't call you to blend in. He called you to shine—so that everyone who sees your life will praise your heavenly Father.
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A young soldier reports for duty in the U. S. Army
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during World War II, but he refuses to carry a weapon.
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Desmond Doss was a Seventh-day Adventist from Virginia with
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deep convictions about not taking life, even in combat. His
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fellow soldiers mocked him, called him a coward, and
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pressured him relentlessly to pick up a rifle. Officers tried
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to have him discharged, but Doss didn't waver. He wanted to serve
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his country, but he believed he could do it as a medic, saving
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lives instead of taking them. In the middle of one of the
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history's bloodiest wars, why would a man refuse to blend in
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and insist on standing out for his convictions?
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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and
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today we're talking about what it means to live as salt and
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light in a world that constantly pressures us to blend in. Listen
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to what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5, verses 14 through 16.
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You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that
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cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a
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basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it
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gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your
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good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will
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praise your Heavenly Father. Jesus says you are light. If you
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belong to him, you already carry something the world desperately
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needs. The question isn't whether you have light. The
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question is whether you're hiding it. A city on a hilltop
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can't be hidden. A lamp isn't meant to be stuffed under a
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basket. A light is meant to shine. And Jesus says your good
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deeds are supposed to shine out for all to see. But it's not
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just about what you do. It's also your character, your
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integrity, and it's how you live before the world. But notice the
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purpose. So that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.
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This isn't about drawing attention to yourself. It's
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about living in a way that makes people curious about the God you
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serve. When they see how patient you are when life is difficult,
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how generous you are with resources, when you show
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forgiveness toward those who wrong you, and when you exhibit
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peace when things around you are falling apart, they should
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wonder where that comes from. And the answer should be, my
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Heavenly Father. That's what it means to be salt and light. Salt
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preserves. It keeps things from decaying. And it adds flavor.
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When you live with integrity in a corrupt workplace, you're
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being salt. When you speak truth in a culture that celebrates
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lies, you're being salt. When you show kindness in a world
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full of cynicism, you're also being salt. Then what about
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light? Light exposes. It reveals what's hidden. It guides people
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out of darkness. When you live with hope in the middle of
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despair, you're being light. When you point people to Jesus
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through your words and your life, you're being light. And when you
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refuse to hide your faith because it might be convenient,
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you're being light. The world will pressure you to blend in,
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to keep your faith private. Don't make waves. Don't be that
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person who brings up Jesus. Just fit in. But Jesus says the
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opposite. Don't hide. Shine, not with arrogance or judgment, but
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be humble, with authentic living that reflects his love. Desmond
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Doss didn't make a fuss. But lived out his convictions. On
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the battlefield of Okinawa, his unit was caught in brutal
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fighting on a cliff called Hacksaw Ridge. Soldiers were
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being cut down all around him. When the order came to Don Doss
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stayed behind, unarmed and under fire. He began lowering wounded
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men down the cliff one by one. Over the course of that night
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and into the next day, he rescued an estimated 75 soldiers,
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praying after each one. Lord, help me get one more. He became
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the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor.
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Whether you agree with Doss' religious beliefs or not, he
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lived out his convictions with humility and courage when it
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could have cost him everything. Jesus didn't call us to blend in.
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He called us to stand out, not through arrogance, but through
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authentic, humble living that points others to him. Doss
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didn't preach at his fellow soldiers. He served them. He
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risked his life for them. He let his actions speak louder than
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any words could. And in the end, the men who had mocked him came
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to respect him. Not because he argued them into it, but because
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he lived it out. That's what being salt and light looks like.
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It's not about being loud or obnoxious. It's about being
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faithful. It's about letting your life tell a different story
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than the world tells. It's about standing out because your
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character and your love, your hope, they're all different and
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people notice. Here's today's challenge. Think about one
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environment where you spend significant time. It could be
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your workplace, your neighborhood, your school, your
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gym. Or your online spaces. And then, ask yourself. Am I
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blending in? Or am I shining? Am I hiding my light under a basket?
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Or am I lighting it shine? This week, look for one opportunity
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to be salt and light. Maybe it's a kind word to someone who's
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struggling. Maybe it's standing up for what's right when it
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would be easier to stay silent. Or it could simply be being
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present and caring when someone else is checked out. And pray,
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Lord, help me shine your light today, not for my glory, but for
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yours. Use my words and my actions and my attitude to point
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someone toward you. Lord, you've called us to be salt and light
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in a world that desperately needs both. Forgive us for the
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times we've hidden or blend in, or maybe just stayed silent when
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you called us to shine. Give us the courage to live differently,
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not with arrogance, but with a humble, authentic faith. Let our
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lives point people to you. Help us to be the kind of Christians
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who make others curious about our Heavenly Father. In Jesus'
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name, Amen. If this podcast has been an encouragement to you,
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would you consider supporting it? Your generosity helps keep these
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devotions coming. You can give a one-time gift or become a
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monthly supporter at dailydevotionsforbusylives.com
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Thanks in advance for partnering with me in this ministry. thanks
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for joining me on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives.
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Remember, Jesus didn't call you to blend in. He called you to
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stand out as salt and light that points others to Him. Come back
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next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in
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God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.
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Thank you.
