Meet Shawn Baxter

“There never was a better hunting dog. Lost both my dogs in the same day, will miss them greatly . . . .” That was my youngest son’s Instagram post the day we lost both our dogs to a tragic accident.

Apparently, our neighbors were beekeepers, which had never been a problem until the day their housed 100,000+ bees became agitated, and the beekeeper, without knowing it, caused them to swarm. She was in her gear, so she was safe; but our dogs were not so fortunate.

Matthew 5 records the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus speaks not of what disciples ought to become, but of what they already are—e.g., as the Baker Commentary on the Bible points out, those who evidence the qualities celebrated in the Beatitudes.

Our Aussie didn’t survive, but Steve went by himself to the vet to see our Lab, Doak. What he didn’t know was that the beekeeper had been sitting in the office since her husband and she had brought Doak in and wouldn’t leave until she knew whether he would live. Everyone in the office knew who she was except Steve.

After saying goodbye to Doak, he headed out to the lobby. Every face in the office gathered at the appointment window to see what would happen next. The woman stood to address Steve to apologize. Steve looked at her grief-stricken face and said, “We live in a fallen world. I’m not mad at you or the bees. Do I wish I had my dogs back? Yes. But I’m not mad at you.” The woman burst into tears as Steve tried to console her.

Salt and light permeated that dark morning as the “offended” comforted the “offender”; and again as her husband came to the door to thank Steve for the kindness shown his wife; and again as Steve made sure there would be no further repercussions against the family. Salt stopped any further decay, and light reigned as the gospel was shared and modeled to unbelievers. A proper understanding of the grace that we as believers have received enables us to be salt and light, regardless of the situation.