Yesterday I only preached to part of the group that meets in the chapel at University Church of Christ. I let the rest of the group listen in, but my message was really addressed to our public school students.

School was on their mind. Today is the first day of classes here. As they thought about the upcoming year, I told them to think of themselves as missionaries. We had sent out groups this summer to Africa and Latin America. Now we’re sending out a group to the public schools of Abilene.

I told them that their mission was to change their school. To make it a better place. And that they would do that in three ways:

1. By being salt. I reminded them of how salt changes the flavor of food. (Unfortunately, the young boy I called on prefers unsalted mashed potatoes; I told him he’d ruined my point!) And we read Matthew 5:13:
   

   You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

   They were reminded that the only way to be salty was to be different from those around them.

2. By being light. We talked about how darkness can’t project itself, it can only occupy the places where there is no light. By being light at their school, they would naturally push back the darkness. And we read Matthew 5:16:
   

   In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

   They were reminded that they needed to let other people see good in them, not evil.

3. By being peacemakers. We talked about the unrest in the world, but more specifically the unrest that occurs in schools. We talked about racial tensions, social tensions, gangs, bullies. We talked about how one voice speaking up for peace can often defuse a tense situation. We read Romans 12:17-18:
   

   Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

   They were reminded that they were to be agents of God’s presence, bringing peace to a tense world.

And after each point, I had everyone who would be involved in school (including college students, teachers, and others) to raise their hands and repeat after me:

“I will be salt.”
“I will be light.”
“I will be a peacemaker.”

Image by Amanda Petty via Creation Swap