A reflection - Salt & Light

Matthew 5: 13-16 “Salt and the Light of the World”

By placing "you" (Gr. hymeis) in the emphatic position in the Greek text, Jesus was stressing the unique calling of His disciples (cf. v. 14). Salt was important in the ancient East because it flavored food, retarded decay in food, and in small doses fertilized land. Jesus implied by this metaphor that His disciples could positively affect the world (Gr. kosmos, the inhabited earth, i.e., humankind). They had the opportunity through their lives and witness to bring blessing to others and to retard the natural decay that sin produces in life.

Jesus' disciples likewise are to be different from the world. As salt is an antiseptic, so the disciples are to be a moral disinfectant in a sin-infested world. This requires virtue, however, that comes only through divine grace and self-discipline.

Many people in this world does not know the value of life – they have no meaning for living – When problem and difficult situation comes – they tend to end their lives. We should bring meaning to this meaningless world. We must restore the value of life that many has neglected.

The disciples must therefore manifest good works, the outward demonstration or testimony to the righteousness that is within them (v.16). Our action should speak louder than our words.

When we dysfunction as a salt, which means we lose the influence that we should have in the world around us, then as disciples we are ‘no longer good for anything’.

Light
Matthew 4: 16, describes the coming of Jesus as the coming of light into the darkness of the world. This light came into the world to save humankind from the snare of darkness. (John 8:12). The purpose of the light is to shine out. We should shine out the goodness and the righteousness of God at all times in all that we do. We as the light of God should also illuminate the sin-darkened world. Sin should not be compromised at any level. The world should know the righteousness of God through our illumination.

Vs. 15 - Sometimes it is sad to see we as Christians fail to shine the light of God but instead choose to live in darkness. We compromise with sin – we act like the world – too much of the world in us that our light is hidden under the bushel basket.
Our call is to shine in darkness – that mean it is only possible if we live in the world but we don’t live like the world. The light that shines in and from us should always project the holiness and righteousness of God.

Let us ask ourselves, is our life and testimony like the salt that gives flavor to this world and like the light that projects the characteristics and the fullness of God’s glory? Or, do we live our life as the salt that has lost its saltiness which is good for nothing and like a light that is hidden under the basket that sooner or later dims of and turns into darkness.