Our

family went on a tour of the Jewel Cave National Monu­ment in

South Dakota last summer. My favorite part of a cave tour like that

is when they turn off all the lights and there is nothing but

darkness all around. You could stare at your hand for hours and never

see it in front of you. Your eyes need light in order to see

anything, so they can’t see in total darkness. But once a light is

turned on again, everything is illuminated. You can see the walls and

the floor and the people around you. Even the smallest amount of

light makes a difference in a totally dark cave.

Jesus

tells his listeners that they are the salt of the earth and the light

of the world. They cannot be hidden; they are called to influence

what is around them. The faith that Jesus forms in us compels us do

that. It doesn’t just remain inside of us. It overflows from us and

shines God’s light in the darkness of the world around us.

In

our conversations with peo­ple—whether they are friends or

people we haven’t met before—is there a right or a wrong time to

talk about our faith in Jesus? Some friends and I were discussing

that one day. But maybe that discussion was misleading. Light doesn’t

wait around, choosing the right time to express itself. Neither does

salt. And neither does our faith. It makes an impact on its

surroundings at all times.

Faith

should always influence our conversations and actions. It has

to—that’s just its nature.