It's easy to learn about what Jesus wants from us. We can study scripture, discuss theology, and understand what God values. We can even agree that God's kingdom has no outsiders and that we're called to move toward the margins. But knowing isn't the same as doing. Sometimes we'd rather stay comfortable in our sacred spaces than actually follow Jesus into the world. But we're not just called to know Jesus, we're called to follow him.

Jesus tells his followers, "You are the salt of the earth" and "You are the light of the world." But even though we know what salt and light are, that doesn't mean we completely understand what Jesus has to say.   In the ancient world, salt preserved food from rotting and light protected people from danger. But salt only works when it gets mixed in, and light only works when you shine it. So are you willing to really be salt and light?

Salt doesn't have to wait until it's salty enough before it can preserve food. Light doesn't have to wait until it's bright enough before it can shine in darkness. And you don't have to wait until you're good enough, or smart enough, or spiritual enough, or qualified enough before you can make a difference in God's kingdom.

Walking humbly means we have to follow God instead of trying to control God. It means we have to let go of our insistence on understanding everything. It means we have to acknowledge that our ways are not God's ways and our thoughts are not God's thoughts.

Real mercy means we have to give up our need to fix people. We have to release our desire to control outcomes. We have to let go of our insistence that people earn our compassion by demonstrating they deserve it. We just have to show up, extend grace, and stay engaged even when it's hard.