Salt and Light

“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 ESV).

We continue with our series in living the risen life with a wonderful passage from the Sermon on the Mount. Our reading declares that we are to be “the salt of the earth.” The problem for most of us is that we don’t know what that really means. The reference is lost on our modern culture. Salt could refer to the kind mined out of the earth for food preservation and flavor enhancement purposes. Salts are minerals used for fertilizing crops. But salt could also be pointing back to the Old Testament. Salt was highly prized and quite valuable. Therefore it was a powerful sign of the covenant and both sacrifices and offerings were to be seasoned with salt to demonstrate purity and value. Moses reminded the redeemed nation they should “season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; and, add salt to all your offerings.” (cf. Leviticus 2:13). No matter which salt is our understanding, one thing is unmistakable: salt needs to be pure and undiminished. There are two examples for us to follow. The first is in our reading today. Because of the lack of refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food, especially meat which would quickly spoil in the desert environment. Believers in Christ are preservatives to the world, preserving it from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly men whose unredeemed natures are corrupted by sin (cf. Psalm 14:3; Romans 8:8). This certainly means we must stand on the truth of Scripture. Second, salt was used then, as now, as a flavor enhancer. In the same way that salt enhances the flavor of the food, it seasons; the followers of Christ stand out as those who “enhance” the flavor of life in this world. Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ, will inevitably influence the world for good, as salt has a positive influence on the flavor of the food it seasons. Where there is strife, we are to be peacemakers; where there is sorrow, we are to be the ministers of Christ, binding up wounds, and where there is hatred, we are to exemplify the love of God in Christ, returning good for evil (cf. Luke 6:35). How salty are you?