Kingdom Living Part 2 - Salt and Light
In Part 2 of our Kingdom Living series, we move from the inward transformation of the Beatitudes into the outward impact of Jesus’ call to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13–16).
Jesus doesn’t call us to blend into the culture around us—He calls us to influence it.
But what does that actually look like in everyday life?
In this episode, we unpack how Kingdom living is not about striving to behave better, but about allowing God to transform our hearts so deeply that His life begins to flow through us. When that happens, we naturally begin to preserve what is good, bring life into dry places, and shine hope into the darkness.
Through practical examples, honest reflection, and biblical truth, we explore:
What it means to be the “salt of the earth” and how believers preserve and add value in a broken world
How to remain distinct without becoming disconnected
What it looks like to be the “light of the world” in everyday moments
Why influence is not about performance—but about staying close to Jesus
This episode will encourage you to stop striving and start abiding—because true Kingdom influence flows from a heart transformed by Christ.
Diana’s Notes
Series: Kingdom Living Part 2
Hello Everyone! Welcome to Heartfelt Conversations With Diana! As we continue with part 2 in our series on Kingdom Living! Salt & Light! Living As Kingdom Influencers
In our last conversation together, we began talking about the message Jesus delivered during the Sermon on the Mount, teaching us that the Beatitudes turn our understanding of blessing upside down. We explored how humility, mercy, righteousness, and endurance reveal the true life of God’s kingdom—and how choosing Beatitudes over attitudes can transform the way we walk through life.
The Beatitudes show us what life looks like for citizens of God’s kingdom. They call us beyond surface-level religion and into a transformed heart shaped by humility, mercy, peace, and trust in God.
Part 1 on the Beatitudes was about what God forms in us.
The Beatitudes show us the inner character of Kingdom people.
Part 2, today’s conversation on being Salt & Light, is about what that transformed life is releasing through us.
Salt and Light show us the outward impact of Kingdom people.
The Beatitudes shape our hearts, Salt & Light shape our witness. Our inward transformation is meant to produce outward influence.
What Jesus does in Matthew 5 is so beautiful. He first describes the kind of heart that belongs to His kingdom, and then He says, in essence: Now this is what those kinds of people do in the world.
I am learning every single day, and my hope is that you, too, are learning to trust God’s Word—and allow the Holy Spirit to reshape our hearts. Because when we do, that is when we can be led away from a life full of frustration, anxiety, and wounded attitudes into the peace Jesus promised.
We all struggle to understand how God’s blessings work in real life, but as we continue to let go of our own understanding and shift to trusting God fully and completely with a surrendered heart, we soon discover why choosing Beatitudes over attitudes leads to a life anchored in God’s kingdom.
The kingdom of God doesn’t begin with behavior—it begins with a transformed heart.
That is what we must always remember. We don’t try to behave better all on our own, or count on and rely on our good works; this is where we will most certainly fail and then become fearful, doubtful, untrusting of God, but rather, we allow God to slowly transform our hearts so that we trust in His ability as God, not our own abilities. Trust me when I say, there is such great comfort and peace and true freedom in that simple but profound truth.
In fact, listen to what God’s word has to say about this:
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
We can not be the salt and the light, influencing others to a better way, God’s way, if in fact, we ourselves are not learning and putting into practice, Kingdom Living.
With that, let’s pick up with the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus delivered the Beatitudes and encourages the crowd and us still today, and move into part two, where Jesus continues His teaching to the crowd with Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 5:13-16: (AMP) “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery]. “You are the light of Christ to the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
So Jesus says something really powerful here… He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Not “try to be.” Not “one day become.” But you are.
Salt has a very specific purpose. It preserves what is good… and it slows down what is decaying.
In the same way, as believers, we are called to bring a preserving influence into the world around us. Not by speaking religious words … not by force, or shame, or guilting others, or creating fear about who God is… but by simply living a life that reflects Christ.
Salt doesn’t strive. It just is what it was created to be. And when it is present, it makes a difference.
Just like salt slows decay in food, believers are meant to slow the moral and spiritual decay in the world around them.
We preserve God’s intentions of goodness, and while salt preserves, it also adds flavor.
It brings life to something that would otherwise be bland or lacking.
And I think we can all see that there are places in this world that feel empty… dry… maybe bland, dull, and even hopeless at times.
But when we walk into those spaces carrying the love of Jesus—When we respond with grace, and with patience, and with kindness, clothed in the spirit of humility, we begin this new year on a quest for, then we bring something different into our homes, our environment, our work places, our communities, churches, and neighborhoods. The people in our day-to-day world that we may be "influencing" by the flavor of our life, our attitude. It is never about what we bring.
What we need to keep our thoughts fixed on is making sure when we step into a room, that what we bring is what we will call … God’s flavor.
Not fake… not forced… but Real. Genuine. Authentic. Trustworthy. Reliable. Stable. And Able.
I said flavor, but according to 2 Corinthians, to God, we are the sweet savor of Christ
2 Corinthians 2:15: (ASV) For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish;
But here’s a part in Jesus’s message on being the Salt & the Light that really challenged me…
Salt only works if it stays salty.
If it loses its distinctiveness, its purpose, it becomes useless. It no longer preserves or adds flavor. It becomes useless. Not fulfilling what it was created to do.
And Jesus is very clear about that. So what does that mean for us?
It means we are not called to blend in so well with the world that no one can tell the difference.
We are called to live in the world… but not become shaped by it.
Because the moment we lose that distinction… we lose our influence.
We all need stability, something secure, and a place where we feel safe.
The world does not offer us that, and I know it can be scary to step out in faith and learn to live Kingdom Living. I get it.
But when we take Simple. Small. Day-to-day baby steps toward looking and living more like Jesus, then others will taste His goodness. See His goodness as an overflow from our own lives. And before we know it, we are living like Kingdom people, not by constantly striving but simply being.
Being God’s child. Living His way.
And the truth is… this doesn’t usually show up in big, dramatic moments.
It shows up in the everyday… ordinary parts of life.
Like walking into a dark room in the middle of the night… barefoot…stepping on a Lego. Ouch! hahaha
Have you ever stubbed your toe walking through a dark room? Chances are, your first response was not, “Praise the Lord!”
I remember when my boys were little, Legos were everywhere. They loved them, and honestly, I loved that they could sit for hours building, imagining, and creating. But we had a rule: before bedtime, those Legos had to be picked up.
On the nights they were not picked up—and I failed to follow through—inevitably someone would need me in the middle of the night. I would step into that dark room, take one barefoot step, and land on one of those sharp little blocks. And let me tell you, in that moment, what came out of me was not always the light of Christ.
Instead of responding with grace, I responded with frustration. Instead of bringing peace, I brought confusion.
And I remember thinking afterward…man, did I just blow that! At that moment, I wasn’t preserving peace! I was adding to the chaos.
Instead of influencing my home, my children toward Christ…I sounded just like anyone else would have in that moment.
And that is the whole point, we are not to look or sound like the rest of the world, so if you feel different, that might not be a bad thing, if you know what I mean! LOL
It is in everyday life and in moments like those with my kids and their Legos, where, as a believer, it struck me:
It’s possible to love Jesus…to know His Word…and still, in an unguarded moment, lose our influence, our witness, to be overshadowed by our reactions.
Not because we don’t care…but because maybe we are not fully leaning on Him, so we can reflect Him. Could it be that we just simply have not quite fully learned or grasped to understand that the truth is…
We cannot be salt in our own strength. We can’t manufacture patience. We can’t force grace. We can’t fake the kind of influence that truly points people to Jesus.
That only comes when we are abiding in Him. Just like we read earlier…
“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
It’s not about us trying harder…It’s about us staying closer to Him.
I wouldn’t say the Kingdom way of living is always easy, but it does bring great ease, peace, and wholeness into our lives when we follow the teachings of Christ.
And when we do that…
We begin to preserve what is good. We begin to bring life into the spaces we walk into. We begin to influence, not by striving, but by simply having His presence in us.
And that is what it means to be the salt of the earth. At least to me! Lol
We are not called to blend in—we are called to preserve and illuminate.
So we’ve been talking about salt…How it preserves… how it adds value… how it has to stay distinct in order to actually make a difference…
But then Jesus doesn’t stop there. He shifts the picture. And He says…
“You are the light of the world.”
I love this… Jesus doesn’t just give one example of how we are to be different, but He gives us two illustrations because salt and light work differently.
Salt is often quiet. It works behind the scenes. You don’t always see it… But it’s doing something.
But light? Light cannot be hidden. It’s visible. It’s noticeable. It changes everything the moment it enters a space.
Enter a completely dark room and let the smallest amount of light in, and it breaks the darkness.
Did you notice that once again, Jesus doesn’t say, “try to become light.”He says… you are.
That means, whether we realize it or not, our lives are already reflecting something.
The question is…
What are we reflecting on?
Light does a few really important things.
First… it reveals. Light exposes what’s hidden and helps people see clearly.
Have you ever tried to walk through a dark room? You’re guessing where to step, and reaching, stretching your arms out, hoping to avoid running into anything—or stepping on something… like a Lego! LOL
But the moment the light comes on…
Everything becomes clear.
And in the same way, when we live in a way that reflects Jesus, not perfectly, but genuinely, that is when God can use us to help others see.
Not by pointing fingers, not by being super judgy of others, but by living differently. By preserving the good and living in the light of Jesus.
There is something about genuine peace, genuine kindness, genuine patience, that makes people stop and go…
“Wait… what is that?”
Can you tell if someone is fake or genuine? When we are Real. Genuine. Authentically ourselves with all our imperfections, but sincere in our love for Christ, it shows. It can’t help but flow out of us and touch those around us.
We don’t have to try to make a difference in our world of influence; we just naturally do.
Light also guides us. It shows the way forward.
There are so many people right now just trying to figure life out… trying to find peace, purpose, direction…
And they’re walking in what feels like darkness. Confusion. Fear. Uncertainty.
And sometimes… We think we need to have all the answers to help people. But we don’t. We just need to reflect the Light.
And something important to remember as we are developing our spirit of humility is that carrying the Light of Jesus in us is not about drawing attention to ourselves. To elevate our status or importance.
Jesus says:
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Do not glorify us. I don’t think we’re amazing.
But we are always pointing back to Him.
And I think this is where we have to be really honest with ourselves and do a heart check, a motive check from time to time. Because sometimes it’s easy to slip into where :
We either hide our light because we don’t want to stand out…
Or we try to shine in a way that draws attention to us instead of God.
But Kingdom living is neither of those. It’s simply living in such a way that people see something different in us and about us, and it leads them back to the Father.
And just like with salt, we cannot do this in our own strength. We can’t force ourselves to be Salt, to preserve good all on our own, and we can’t force ourselves to shine. To pretend that life is all Shalom, Shalom. The perfect peace, Jesus said, He came to give to us. We simply can't manufacture this kind of life.
When we stay close to Jesus and when we learn to fully trust in Him, and we allow Him to shape our hearts as we talked about in the Beatitudes, then this transformation within us begins to happen naturally.
We don’t shine the light of Jesus by trying harder to glow by reflecting our own goodness.
We shine by staying connected to the Light. Jesus. Jesus IS the light of the world.
John 8:12: (NLT)Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Over time, if we allow Him to guide our steps, then our life begins to reveal Him, our words will begin to reflect Him, and our responses to all the chaos and disorder and disruption begin to look different… different from the rest of the world. We have hope, we have clarity, we have a guiding light. Then one day, without even realizing it, you're helping people see. You’re helping people take their next step. You’re helping people find their way back to God. And that is what it means to be the light of the world.
Kingdom influence is not about being loud, famous, or impressive. It is about being so formed by Christ that His life begins to affect every room we walk into.
Let’s try to keep it super simple in an overly complicated world
light exposes darkness, light gives direction, light helps people see, light is not for self-promotion but for God’s glory
What Is Our Focus: As believers, we influence our culture without becoming part of it. By not blending in, but rather by remembering 2 simple things —we are called to preserve and illuminate.
We cannot be salt and light through pressure or performance; we become salt and light as we abide in Jesus, THEN influence flows from intimacy with Christ.
Jesus did not call us to hide, shrink back, or become so blended in with the culture that no one can tell we belong to Him. He called us salt. He called us light. That means our lives should carry His presence into ordinary places—our homes, our conversations, our parenting, our workplaces, and our communities. But this does not happen through striving. It happens through surrender. The more we trust Him, the more His life shines through us.
So with that! Let’s wrap up today. Next time, we will be discussing what it really looks like to deal with things beneath the surface! Whoa!!
Until then, you can check out today’s notes, and a link to Pastor Eric‘s message here on heartfeltconversations.com
Remember—sit with the Shepherd, trust His Word, choose Beatitudes over attitudes. Then, we will naturally preserve and illuminate.
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalms 118:24:(NLT)
See ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Sermon on the Mount: Combatting a Critical Spirit | Pastor Eric Jones
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Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You:
Zach Williams - Heart of God (Official Music Video)
for KING + COUNTRY - Love Me Like I Am (Official Music Video)
Crowder, Dante Bowe - God Really Loves Us ft. Maverick City Music
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Matthew 7:11:Soifyouwho areevilknow howto givegoodgiftstoyourchildren,how muchmorewillyourFatherinheavengivegood thingsto thosewho askHim!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37“Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick:Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.