Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13, You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they 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 so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Some thoughts on Jesus’ charge to His followers to be salt and light…

First, SALT.  We Christians are to impact life, as does salt.  Some ideas:

• We are to enhance – flavor.  Make life better.
• We are to preserve – protect life, do good, about justice, about family, etc.
• We are to lower the freezing temp. – melt the cold, frozen and slick; bring peace and reciliation
• We are to cause reactions – put salt in a wound and note the reaction!  The truth does such. 
• We are to soften – like soft water.  Bring calm and kindness. 
• We are to heal – gargle with salt water to deal with bacteria, inflammation and bad breath
• We are essential for neighbors – for 10 righteous God would have spared Gomorrah
• We are to bind ourselves and peoples together – salt with iodine or chloride 

We are NOT called to be sugar.

We are not called to be gooey or syrupy or overly sweet.

We are called to be loving, gentle and good.

We are called to serve, bless and give.

But syrupy?  NO!  Too many churches are about sugar rather than salt.

Don’t get me wrong – I love sugar!  Don’t get me wrong – I fear sugar!

Sugar in natural ways and amounts should be fine, but too much is refined and thus a danger.

So churches that are all about love, tolerance, support of nearly everything, compromising, laboring so as to not lose anyone, promising heaven without repentance or promising heaven today, are the syrupy kind.

I believe the church of Christ’s choosing is salty.

In addition to being salty, we are also called to be LIGHT.

It seems that being salty is to be actively engaged – to be pressing for change – while the call to be light is passive which is to influence and to show.

Light is about integrity, kindness, goodness, mercy, humility, longsuffering and giving.  Light is about being and doing good.

Acts 10:38, …how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good

Ephesians 2:10, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works

Being light is about boldly living the values of Jesus in public (Colossians 3:12-17).  It is letting Jesus, who is the light (John 8:12), rule life.  It is living this in public 24/7 – putting light on a stand so that it flows outward and everywhere.  It is living as Jesus that all might see Him.

Light that is covered or dimmed (sin and sinfulness can do such) or is only “On” in certain situations like at church (not “On” in the workplace or around friends) is not the light Jesus calls for.  So?  “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!  Let it shine!  Let it shine!!”

We are here to be salt and light – savory and bright – actively and passively impacting our world.