Matthew 5:13-20
Salt that is salty.
Light that shines.
Righteousness that exceeds.
The Kingdom life isn't a certain occupation. It isn't a certain regiment of dutiful activities. The Kingdom life doesn't produce cookie-cutter kinds of people in shirts and ties who enjoy early morning Bible study (even though that's our standard of judging righteousness).
Living the Kingdom life means many things, but in this passage I'm reminded of this: If the Kingdom is at hand, and if I'm choosing the Kingdom, then my life will be affected by the Kingdom in every area. Dichotomy does not exist where Jesus is Lord. The Kingdom life cannot be compartmentalized.
A dichotomized life, a life that claims the Kingdom but that in many ways remains untouched by the Kingdom, is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
A compartmentalized life, a life that is nice and neat and keeps Christianity separate from work and from play and from family and from every other piece of life, is as foolish as placing a lamp under a basket. Others can't see it and can't, through such a life, come to a knowledge of the glory of God.
Lives such as these, and in many ways such as mine and probably like many of yours, is not much different than the Pharisees. The Pharisees knew more than they ever needed (that's an extreme exaggeration) about God, but all their knowledge remained detached from real life. The only application for them was listing out do's and don'ts, but the truth never touched them in real life. Were they righteous? Sure. But not righteous enough! Jesus said it. If we don't exceed their righteousness, we'll never reach the kingdom of heaven.
The Kingdom life is enjoyed as the King touches every piece of our lives. People will see it, for sure. The salt will touch them and bring preservation and taste. The light will touch them and expose the darkness of sin. You can't hide the Kingdom life.
I think sometimes we focus on trying to publicize our Christianity with more effort than we try to live Kingdom lives. Being loud doesn't qualify Kingdom living. Kingdom living, however, allows God to bring the knowledge of the fullness of His glory to people who don't know about it. Just being loud, especially when people see our dichotomized and compartmentalized lives, does nothing for the Kingdom.
I am going to spend my day meditating upon this, seeking God's exposure of what in my life has been kept in a separate compartment from my Kingdom life. May we be salty, bright, and exceedingly righteous today as the Kingdom touches every step and breath and move we make.
