Marc walks into the café and lays his book bag on the table. He then walks up to the barista, orders a skinny caramel latte and looks at the people sitting in the café while he waits. There are some new faces, but he recognizes some of the same people sitting by themselves. Again he wonders why they are there alone. He knows why he is there alone, to find out what it means to follow Jesus. But them, what is their story?
Marc gets his latte and makes his way to his table. Today, Toby is sitting fairly close to Marc. Toby watches as Marc unpacks his bag. As he lays his Bible on the table Toby moves to the other side of his table so he will not have to make eye contact.
Toby thinks to himself, “How can he trust something that seems so wrong?” He refuses to read the Bible because he sees that it has done little to change those who hold it up as their standard for living. If only he could see an authentic change in those who say they believe in God. He is tired of hearing how great Jesus is and how he can change his life when he has seen little change in others.
Henry is sitting in the corner reading the paper. He is reading an article in the religion section. He is looking for something more, something real. He is looking for a way to live out his faith, but finds it difficult in the modern church. He often wonders, “Can there be something the church is missing? Is church on Sunday morning all there is when it comes to fulfilling a relationship with God?” He wants a real relationship with God, but does not know where to begin.
Sally is there for her weekly treat. She is sitting staring out the window. She day dreams of a life that is filled with hope, peace and love. Then tears begin to swell up in her eyes because she sees no hope in sight. Sally only sees a life of constant struggle. She has no idea where she can turn for what she is looking for the most. She is looking for unconditional love from somewhere.
Marc opens his note book and sees in big letters, Focus #1: Become a fisher of men. He bows his head and prays, “God, teach me in your word today how to become a fisher of men.” He opens his Bible to the book of Matthew. He is going to start with the Sermon on the Mount today. As he slowly reads the words of Jesus, he pauses at each of the beatitudes and thinks about what each one means.
He stops and writes down, “Matthew 5:13: ‘You are the salt of the earth.’ And Matthew 5:14: ‘You are the light of the world.’ Marc slumps back in his chair, puts his hands behind his head and closes his eyes. He begins to think about how Jesus was the salt of the earth and the light of the world. And then he asks himself this question, “How can I become the salt of the earth and the light of the world?”
Marc began to see this not as much as a command, but a lifestyle. Salt makes a difference to its environment. Light impacts the culture. Jesus himself made a difference in the world around him in the way he interacted with people. He gave them light, understanding of a God who loves people unconditionally. Even the wisdom that comes from God’s commands are an example of his love.
Marc writes in big letters in his note book, Focus #2: Become the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He bows his head and prays, “God, help me become the salt of the earth and light of the world.”
As Marc is packing up his bag, Sally gets up walking by him in a hurry. She is obviously upset about something. Marc continues clean off his table, giving little attention to Sally as she passed by him.
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