Expendable

Sometimes it is easy to feel expendable. A friend recently described to me a situation in he was spending time with some young women playing board games. As they played, he could tell that these ladies were not particularly excited about having him there. He felt like he was merely a warm body, easily replaceable. I have also had friends who made me feel like a placeholder. 

I also think living in a city may also tend to force the reality of one’s replaceability into regular consciousness. The mass of paired red lights you follow during the rush hour rat race may include somewhere the next person who is waiting to fulfill your role. If you cannot or will not perform, some else can or will. There are plenty of other people around.

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus says his followers are the salt of the earth. Salt was a very important commodity that was used in many ways during Jesus’ time. In addition, salt is an essential element for all human life. For example, the neurons in your nervous system requires sodium (one of the elements in salt) to pass chemical information signals throughout your brain and body. Without sodium, your brain would not work.

In a world where it is easy to feel expendable, how does it feel to hear God himself say that you are an essential element to the world he has created? In my limited view, I am not that much different from the next person in line. In Jesus’ full view of the entirety of existence, it seems that he does not agree.

Second, I am not exactly sure that many people see the Church as an essential element in society at large. Sometimes it seems like a glorified book/social/music club that has no significant impact or respect. How can the Church not only be relevant, but essential?