“You are the salt of the earth…” Matthew 5:13
In order for salt to be a preserving influence, it must come in contact with what it is meant to preserve, and it must retain its saltiness! Each one of us has particular circumstances in our lives which are not experienced by others. Each is given unique opportunities to be a preserving salt in our society.
Abby Johnson was the director of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas. She worked there for eight years, but she gradually began to question what was occurring in her clinic. One day while watching an ultrasound of an abortion of a 13-week old fetus, she saw the baby struggle for life, and finally succumb to the murderous intent of the doctor. By God’s grace, and through the prayers of faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, Abby Johnson came to the see the light, left Planned Parenthood, and now runs an organization entitled “And Then There Were None” assisting abortion clinic workers desiring to leave the industry.
Allow me to share a very personal story, which although on a smaller scale, is just as important! Our first grandchild was born to our son Matt and his wife Ashley, extremely prematurely, and only lived for a couple of hours. They named him Levi, and their Pastor beautifully shared that, in Scripture, the tribe of Levi did not receive an earthly inheritance, for Levi’s inheritance was in heaven. (Joshua 13:33) In time, Ashley came to work at a daycare centre. One day, a pregnant young woman who had determined to have an abortion, came in and sought confirmation that this was the right decision. In God’s providence, she approached Ashley, and Ashley shared how life is a gift of God, and that we don’t have the right to take it. Ashley also related her own story of losing Levi, and gave this young woman a Bible. By God’s grace, she decided to read her Bible, and then to carry her baby to term! One life had been saved because Ashley was a preserving salt! A baby boy was born and he was named Carter Levi, in part, to honour the memory of little Levi Boekee!
This is not the end of the story! It is ongoing, because the story belongs to our God, who desires to use even our broken lives as preserving salt in a decaying society! May He receive all the glory!