Written by David Jeremiah
There’s a power in the presence of Christians that permeates the society and sets into play the grace of God.
The other day I heard about a baby camel that asked, “Mom, why do I have these huge three-toed feet?” The mother replied, “To help you stay on top of the soft sand while trekking across the desert.”
“And why the long eyelashes?”
“To keep the sand out of your eyes on our trips through the desert.”
“Why the humps?”
“To store water for our long treks across the barren desert.”
The baby camel considered that and then said, “That’s great, Mom. We have huge feet to stop us from sinking, long eyelashes to keep sand out of our eyes, and humps to store water. But, Mom…”
“Yes, son?”
“Why are we in the zoo?”
That’s a question for all of us to consider. If we’ve been given all the resources we need to carry our Lord’s message far and wide, and if we’re completely equipped to fulfill the Great Commission, why do we keep it within the four walls of our churches? The Gospel isn’t something we come to church to hear; it’s something we go from church to tell.
That point was on our Lord’s mind when He preached His Sermon on the Mount and compared His church to a bowl of salt: “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13).
In Christ’s day, salt was more valuable than it is today, because it had many uses and it was hard to obtain. In fact, until modern times, salt was a major factor in the economies of entire nations. The Roman Empire valued salt as a form of currency, and workers were often paid with it. Our modern word salary comes from the Latin term salarium, meaning “salt.” Jesus understood the value of salt, and His teachings on the subject have several relevant applications to us today.
Salt Prevents Decay
First of all, salt retards decay, and this was extremely important in biblical times when people had no ability to freeze or refrigerate food. The Middle Eastern sun caused meat to spoil rapidly; but with salt, food could be packed, preserved, and transported.
Without the salt of dedicated Christians, our society tends toward decay. Left to itself, a culture festers, rots, and putrefies. The bacteria of evil are everywhere; and without the presence of Christians, the decay would be unabated and final.
Our forefathers knew this, and that’s why they established America on Judeo-Christian principles. In 1774, the very first Continental Congress invited Rev. Jacob Duche to begin each session in prayer. During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin proposed that the Convention open each day in prayer.
Evidence of this spiritual heritage is engraved on our great monuments and public buildings in Washington, D.C. If you approach the chamber of the United States Senate from the east, for example, you’ll see these words at the entrance: Annuit Coeptis, a Latin phrase meaning “God has favored our undertakings.” The words, “In God We Trust” are written above the southern entrance.
Calvin Cooldige, our thirteenth president, observed, “The foundation of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.”
I believe God has blessed our nation because of our legacy of faith, but every effort is now being made to expunge Christianity from the public arena. In the process, our national morals are decaying like an animal’s carcass in the blazing sun.
But don’t give up! America is filled with God-fearing Christians, and how much worse things would be without us! Our very presence retards decay and preserves godliness in our society. Our presence reduces crime, restrains ethical corruption, promotes honesty, elevates the moral atmosphere, and lifts up the hearts of our people.
You might be the only Christian in your office or in your classroom or on your sports team. What a challenge– and what an opportunity! Don’t be afraid to be different. Remember that your influence may halt someone’s descent into personal decay and despair.
Excerpt from the book , “Signs of Life” by David Jeremiah copyright 2007