The Nail that Sticks Out
There is a Japanese proverb
"The nail that sticks out gets hammered down."
1. People who stand out because of their talent and skill are hated by all people.
2. Those who do what he has set out will be criticized and punished by others.
Therefore, many people try to be as similar to everyone else as possible. Many people try to keep a low profile. Also, many people try not to say unnecessary things. When I was in the 6th grade of elementary school, I knew that when I went to junior high school, the relationship between seniors and juniors was difficult. I was tall, so I remember thinking that I didn't want to stand out too much and attract attention from my seniors.
However, the Lord Jesus said that we are not to be like the world, but rather to be a stake that stands out.
Let's learn from the words of the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 5:13-16
“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.14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 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.16 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.
This is part of the Lord Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount. The Lord Jesus teaches us how to live as people in the kingdom of God.
“You are the salt of the earth,” said the Lord Jesus. “You are the light of the world.”
What does this mean?
To put it simply, it means that the stake will stick out. It means being conspicuous. It also means that you are different from those around you. But of course, that doesn't mean that your talent or your accomplishments will give you the glory or the spotlight.
It also doesn't mean that compliments are showered on you.
Rather, we are beings who exert God's influence on this world and those around us.
In our families, in our neighborhoods, at work, in our communities, we are beings who have God's influence and are a positive influence.
Moreover, rather than saying, "You can be salt, you can be light," the Lord Jesus said in the present tense, "Now you can be the salt of the earth, "I am the light of the world," he says. Furthermore, the Lord Jesus uses the emphatic phrases ``you are'' and ``you are the only ones.'' You who believe in Me, and not others, are salt and light. This is the way the Lord Jesus sees us. There are billions of people alive in this world, but the Lord Jesus said that those who believe in Him are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.
What about us? Are you conscious of your identity and role in this Lord Jesus? Does it fulfill its role? Or are you trying to fit in with those around you? Are you being carried away by the currents of this world? Also, are you stained with the colors of this world? Or is it influenced by God?
All who believe are called as salt and as light. However, it is possible that they will not fulfill their role. How can we be a reflection of the Lord's greatness and a reflection of His light where He has placed us?
1. Believe in this truth
The first step is to believe the words of the Lord Jesus. It is important to believe in what the Lord Jesus says about you, not what you think of yourself or what others have said about you.
There may be some people who feel that they are not important or special enough to have an impact on the world or those around them. Some people may think that they have no special talent, social status, power, or financial resources.
The disciples listening to this may have felt the same way we did.
Peter, Andrew, John, and James were also fishermen. Matthew was a despised tax collector who was considered a traitor and hated by the Jews. However, God used such disciples to exert God's influence on the world.
1 Corinthians 1:27
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
about it. But in order for salt to protect food from spoiling, it must be added to food. If you think that you are weak and have no great ability, then it is because God is using you as salt and as light. It's easy. God uses the world's standards, the weak, and the foolish to express the glory of His Lord. Because it is clear that it is the Lord.
2. Go out into the world
Next, you need to go out into the world. The Lord Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth. What was the role of salt at that time?
Salt was a precious commodity at that time. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt rather than money. The English word salary also comes from the Latin word salt.
Of course, salt has the effect of adding flavor, but it was also used to preserve food without spoiling it. It protects it from rotting. In the same way, we have a role to play in protecting this world from moral corruption. It cannot fulfill its role unless it comes into contact with food.
The same is true for light. The Lord Jesus said, ``I will not light a light and put it under a measuring cup'' (verse 15). Rather, it is placed on a candlestick so that everyone can see it.
Similarly, the Lord wants us to have contact with people. I want those who have not yet believed to be able to see the lives and attitudes of those of us who believe in the Lord. I want them to know the way of thinking and priorities of believers in the Lord Jesus. Of course, it's not about making yourself look good. As the Lord Jesus said in verse 16, "So that people may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." This is so that people's eyes will turn toward God.
I feel like this is something I need to be most careful about. When you live a Christian life for a long time, you often find yourself surrounded by only Christians. I also work as a pastor, so it's only natural that the people I hang out with are all Christians. But the Lord Jesus wants to have contact with other people who don't know the Lord Jesus. Then we can be used to bring about the influence of Christ. It is very important and necessary to pray with Christians, study the Bible, and encourage each other. But that's because they're being sent outside. The Lord does not want us to live isolated from the world. He wants His influence to flow through us. I want you to share the Lord's wonderful love and gospel. I want you to put it into practice.
John 17:15
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
The night before Jesus went to the cross, he prayed this for his disciples. It's not about removing us from the world. I pray that you will protect me from being tainted by evil even though I enter the world. That leads to the next point.
3. Differentiated way of life
Next, a differentiated way of life is important. It is a way of life that is untainted by this world, a way of life that does not compromise with sin.
The Lord Jesus said He would send us into this world, and He wants us to be distinguished in this world. I hope that it will become a ``stick that sticks out'' in a good way.
“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.
The Lord Jesus said that when salt loses its saltiness, it becomes useless. How can I get rid of the saltiness? That's when it gets mixed with various impurities. If that happens, it will no longer be able to play its role in preventing spoilage. Our identity as salt remains the same, but when we compromise with the world, when we compromise with sin, we become unable to fulfill our role. It will lose its salty taste. We become like people who do not know the Lord Jesus.
Christians can serve as salt when they do things that are pleasing to the Lord, both in their work ethics and in their business practices. Also, even when you're with acquaintances or friends, it's a differentiated way of life to avoid gossip or bad jokes when other people are telling them, rather than join in with them. In this world where we retaliate, or even retaliate twice or three times as much, having an attitude of forgiveness, an attitude of pity, and an attitude of seeking reconciliation as much as possible are different ways of living. When you live such a differentiated way of life, there are always people who dislike it and get upset about it. I think there will always be people who try to hammer in the nail that sticks out. As I mentioned before, this happened when I was working part-time at a restaurant in Tokyo. If I remember correctly, the working people could eat anything from the menu for 250 yen. Many people ate whatever they wanted without paying. But I was instructed by the Bible to pay for each meal. Then someone looked at me, made fun of me, and said something like, ``I don't understand why you paid for it.'' But if you do what is right and are persecuted especially for the sake of the Lord Jesus, then rejoice. The Lord Jesus said that your reward in heaven will be great.
4. Bathe in the Light of the Lord
Finally, in order for us to fulfill our role as lights, we need to constantly bathe in the Lord's light and touch the Lord's light. It means communing with the Lord and receiving abundant spiritual supplies from the Lord.
We don't show our light. We are forgiven sinners. We are still growing. There are weaknesses, and conflicts and battles continue. But the Lord Jesus is the light of the world. We are beings who reflect the light of the Lord Jesus.
There are stars that can be attached to the ceiling and glow when it gets dark. (Glow in the dark stars). Those noctilucent stars just don't glow in the dark. How can I make it shine? It will not glow unless you expose it to a bright light before darkening it.
In the same way, when we come into contact with the life of the Lord Jesus, we can also reflect the life of the Lord Jesus. When we come into contact with the great love and grace of the Lord Jesus, we can reflect it back to us. When we come into contact with the great forgiveness and compassion of the Lord Jesus, we can radiate the light of forgiveness and compassion to those around us. Also, when we are exposed to the words of the Lord Jesus, are filled with them, and have fellowship with the Lord Jesus, we are able to overcome compromise with sin and stand firm instead of being carried away by the world.
The Lord is looking for people who love Him and who will be a stake for Him. In your family, at work, where the Lord is right now. We who believe are already the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
