"Why Taking Responsibility is Essential for Being the Salt & Light"
No matter what we look at TV, reality TV, social media, etc. we see mostly people blaming others for the sin and decline of our world and culture.
It is easy to blame others, to criticize, to be an armchair quarterback. Especially now that we can find information (factual?) to support our bias or our grievance.
Christians by and large are not good examples and if they didn't say they were Christians you would never know. Their temper tantrums, anger, and hateful speech do not inspire reflections on Christ.
We blame so as to make others responsible for our problems or the problems of our nation or society. There is a ‘self-serving bias’, in which many of us take the credit for ourselves if things go good in life, but place blame on others when things go bad. We can blame our circumstances but when we blame others we retreat into our pride and sin.
After all, blaming others is easy, we bear no responsibility (in our minds), we have control (we think), we can vent our anger and frustration, and protect our ego.
Yet this is not life, mental, spiritual, and otherwise, Christ instructs us and shows us to live. On a basic human level, we lose out on any personal growth, we render ourselves powerless, we don't have empathy or compassion and we give up any possibility of being a positive influence on others. We become part of the problem, the angry mob that furthers our cultural demise.
If you have slipped into this way of thinking like the world it is time to step back and be reflective. Pray about your attitude and ask Christ and the person of the Holy Spirit to help you be more empathetic and understanding in your life.
To be the Salt and light does not include blame and self-absorption but a self-less view of others.
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."