Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)

 “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 underfoot.

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

As part of the Sermon on the Mount, this simple passage can be easily misread. Because we are prone to think of the Sermon on the Mount primarily in terms of law and command, it is very easy to hear Jesus in this passage telling us that we must be salt and light. Or we think Jesus is saying how we ought to be and why we should be salt and light. However, that’s not what’s going on here at all. What Jesus is saying is sheer declaration and promise: You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

Why salt and light? What does it mean to be salt and light?

The importance of salt, especially in the ancient world was significant. In the first century, salt had many functions: preservative, flavor, medicine, and money. Therefore, Jesus knew the value of salt comes in its application on other things. In other words, Christians are called to exist for others.

The word “light” means “to illuminate” or “to make visible”. Jesus understood the functionality of light allowed people to see, which would otherwise not have been perceptible in the dark. That is to say, light allows people to recognize the causes of our actions and deeds.

However, we don’t always live up to Jesus’ pronouncement. We fall short and wonder how this truth and promise could possibly be true. The good news is we don’t have to work to achieve the label of “salt and light”. We already are.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14 NIV)

• Why is it important to know who we are? How does this inform us about how we live our lives?
• What do you think Jesus meant about salt losing its flavor? How is it possible to become ‘unsalty’?
• How can you be salt and light to the people around you?