Are You A Fanner?

“You are the salt of the earth….you are the light of the world.”  (Matt. 5:13, 14).

Hey Gang: The baptism service was over; the people were in a praise mode for what had just transpired. BUT one of the parishioners asked the question, “Would it not have been better if the Lord had chosen to take those who were baptized immediately into the heavenlies to be with Him?”   I mean, wow, all they would have to do is hold you under the water and send you directly to be with the Lord!

But He didn’t.  Baptism is but a beginning of the process of what the Lord wants to do with His children.  His purpose was to leave us on earth to be an influence for holiness in the midst of a morally- corrupt and polluted society.   Jesus used the metaphors of being “salt and light” to describe the ‘preserving and enlightening’ effects we should have in our world.

I read the verses of “salt and light” many times before I really did know what Jesus was saying.  Yes, I knew that my witness was my light but can salt really lose its taste?  And then one day, I heard an old salt preacher teach on this verse and my eyes were opened to what Jesus was saying.  To understand this you must look at the culture of Jesus’ day.  Notice, Jesus said, “When the salt loses its taste it is not good for anything except to throw it out into the road and replace it.”

In Jesus’ day the houses were usually one room with perhaps one window.  Ventilation was a problem.  Having an oven in the house was out of the question so they built their ovens outside between the house and pathway.  A layer of salt is placed at the bottom of the oven as a reflector of heat.  But, after prolonged usage, the salt lost its reflective power and had to be replaced, resulting in the old salt being thrown into the pathway.

Again, we see Jesus using using illustrations and language that the average Joe on the street would understand, if they wanted to understand.   One of the great maladies of the Church today is their salt has become tasteless and no longer causes thirst.  John referred to that in Revelation as “…they have lost their first love”. 

I collected a neat illustration of this years ago and filed it in my endorphin file for later use.   The story goes: One evening a Christian entered a bee garden to observe the habits of those fascinating little insects.    As he neared the hives he heard a growing hissing sound that seemed to come from the hives.  The bee keeper whispered, “They are fanner bees.  They keep the hive sweet and fresh”.  If you could see them, you’d notice that they stay near the center of the colony and their wings are moving so rapidly that they appear almost like a gray mist.” 

The keeper went on to say, “They’re forcing the bad air out while the pure air is being drawn in.  You can actually feel the gentle breeze –produced by those numerous tiny bee wings”.  The bee keeper then added this challenging comment: “Fanners – pushing out bad air and bringing in fresh – isn’t that the way people, who call themselves Christians, ought to act?”

Oh, but you say, I really don’t have much chance to be a ‘fanner bee’.  I really don’t have much opportunity to be salt and light to the world around me.  That my friend, is a cop out!  When we say to the Lord, “Here am I send me”, be advised He will send you - but you have to be aware of the mission field.   I am married to a compulsive example of salt and light that has her antennas ever tuned into the world around her and the needs of those she comes in contact with. 

Recently I included the example of the Church that does not count numbers of bodies but rather numbers of touches that each member makes each week.  So my young warriors, get out you notebook and keep track of the touches you make this day.  I guarantee you, you will be amazed and even feel good about what God is doing through you.  You might be chosen to be a ‘fanner-bee’.

Blessings,

Gramps      New posting on grampswhatshappeningman.blogspot.com Tues Nov10