Salt And Light For A Dull And Darkened World
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Salvation through Christ is the highest purpose of our entire existence. But life doesn’t end there. Instead, coming to know Christ is just the beginning of a new life we live for a higher purpose.
God doesn’t give grace solely for our selfish enjoyment. It’s not something we should hoard and hide away. Rather, salvation is a divine gift we receive so that we may help give it to others.
Christ explained this concept in terms his listeners could understand stand.
Today, the compound known as sodium chloride is a readily available and inexpensive substance we use to add flavor to our food. But in the time of Christ, salt was a precious commodity that people used to preserve meat and food.
At times in the distant past, they traded an ounce of salt for an ounce of gold. Long ago, people established caravan routes that crossed the ancient world to trans¬port salt from place to place.
Sometimes, as traders were transporting salt across long distances, other substances would adulterate it, or rain or a sudden flood would ruin it.
When this happened, it no longer had any value. Its preservative value was lost, and traders would throw it away.
Today, light is always as near as the closest light switch. Thanks to plentiful electricity and the development of ever-brighter bulbs, people can illuminate their homes, businesses, and ballparks at all hours of the night or day.
But suppose you turn on a light in a closet, then close the door and forget about it. The light is still burning, but nobody can see or benefit from its light.
When Christ told his followers that they were salt and light, he meant that they were supposed to have a transforming impact on the society around them.
Like salt, they were to preserve the good in society, preventing it from rotting and going bad. Like light, they were to illuminate the darkness, enabling people to see the truth and follow it.
God’s gifts are wonderful things to enjoy, but our enjoyment is not the bottom line.
Christ saved us so that we could help him save others. Only when we act as salt and light in our world will we accomplish this urgent assignment.
Father, help me to be salt and light in this needy world.