As I listened to a message from a pastor friend of mine today, I was struck by a simple phrase in Acts 26:26. Before sharing that, let me give you a bit of background.

Having been arrested in Jerusalem for his uncompromising faith in Jesus, the Apostle Paul was being held in Caesarea Maritima. He had already given his testimony before the appointed governors Felix and his successor Festus, but instead of being freed he had been held unjustly for two years.

In Acts 26, Paul has an opportunity to share his testimony about Jesus to King Agrippa and his wife/sister Bernice. As he shares his story of coming to faith in Jesus and passionately declares the gospel about Jesus, Festus accuses him of having gone crazy. Paul responds – “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.” (verses 25, 26)

I’d encourage you to read Acts 21-26 to get the bigger picture, but for the moment focus on a phrase used by Paul – “this has not been done in a corner.” What Paul was saying was that the life of Jesus, His crucifixion, His empty tomb, the dramatic pouring out of God’s Spirit at Pentecost, and the spread of the gospel in Judea and beyond were nothing secret. The impact of the resurrected Jesus was obvious to anyone who was paying the slightest attention, and surely King Agrippa was aware of it.

What about the work the church today? Are we doing our work in a corner? Is the transformative power of Jesus evident to those in our neighborhood, our town? Are we boldly telling the good news of Jesus and showing His love through acts of compassion?

It is easy to go through motions of going to church most or at least some Sundays, sing our songs, drop some money in the offering, shake the preacher’s hand, and then go about our lives as if Jesus makes absolutely no difference in our lives. But have we left both Jesus and the transforming power of Jesus in a corner of the church building with the lights out and the doors locked?

Jesus told His disciples – “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)

Both salt and light are meant to make a difference, and they do make a difference if they are applied intentionally. You and I are called to be salt and light. It is not something we are to do from time to time or during a particular church emphasis; it is to be the routine of our lives not the exception … but is it?

Do we take Jesus with us when we leave the church building? Do we invite Him to be central in our homes, at work, in our recreation, and in all our relationships? None of us is likely called to be a Paul, but we are called to live our Christian lives out of the corner.

As we move deeper into this new year, let us be committed to bringing Jesus out of the corner, making Him the center of our lives, and declaring His goodness and greatness in our words and our works. Like Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, people may not be overly eager to embrace Jesus, but our call to declare His name never changes. Just as the disciples Peter and John said when they were commanded to no longer talk about Jesus – “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)