Are We Salt & Light, or Just Salty & Lit?

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)

13 “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.14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 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.

How do we let the light of God shine through in our everyday lives?

Jesus tells us we are the ‘salt of the earth’. But what does that mean?

Before answering that question, Imagine a big, juicy steak… that’s been sitting on a plate in the sun all day. Imagine how awful that would smell! Would you eat it? Of course not! Back then, salt was used for two purposes: to preserve meat, and to enhance flavor.

When Jesus is telling us to be salt of the earth, he’s calling us to ‘preserve’ the world. We’re called to bring people to know Jesus Christ, to preserve them from eternal death. We’re also called to ‘enhance the flavor’ of life in this world. Where there is fighting, we’re peacemakers. Where there’s pain, we bring joy. Where there’s hatred, we bring love. Be the salt of the earth!

Jesus also says we are the ‘light of the world’. Imagine a ship in those times traveling in the dark. Shipwrecks that happened at night could’ve been easily avoided if they simply had light to see the land. That’s why lighthouses were so important! With a light shining, not only did they know where to go for safety, they could see what things to avoid. Jesus says YOU are the light of the world. Without Jesus, we’re all just traveling this life in the dark, not knowing the dangers we’re getting into. We have hope for salvation through Jesus Christ, and we need to give that same hope to the whole world traveling in the dark.

So, which is it? Are you salt and light, or just salty and lit? You’ve been given hope through Jesus Christ, so let’s extend that same hope to this dark world!

Dear Lord, Thank you for bringing us hope! Lord, please help us to bring that same hope to everyone we know. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.