Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Catherine Booth
Right Side Up
Years ago, I told my former Sunday school students who went off to college to, “Now be sure to turn the world right side up,” which I meant that its wrong side up now because most of humanity worships what’s below. They worship clothes, cars, sports, money, pleasure, and most of all (like I used to), they worship themselves by suppressing the knowledge of God (Rom 1:18). When Jason and some other’s where sharing the gospel, “they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6). They think these men were turning the world upside down, but in reality, they were turning it right side up.
Offense Must Come
Jesus once said that it was necessary that some will be offended by the gospel, and that’s okay. I would rather have someone offended by the gospel than simply yawn and say, “I could care less.” If there’s anger about Christ, then there is at least a bit of conviction over their sin (perhaps), but Jesus warned, “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes” (Matt 18:7).
Salt and Light
If you’ve ever got salt in a papercut, you know it hurts. In the same way, Jesus told us to be salt and light in this world, and when the Word of God cuts them (and us) (Heb 4:12), then being salt will sting them, at least their conscience. When we enter the world and the works of darkness, we try and seek those in the darkness and bring them into the light, which is Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12), and He tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:14).
Conclusion
Catherine Booth, in saying, “If we are to better the future we must disturb the present,” she probably has in mind that God’s ways are just the opposite of man’s ways and we’re going to make some waves. That it cannot be helped. Most will be offended by the gospel but we should still feel compelled to get the salt out of the shaker and the light into the darkness.
