Transforming CultureSample

Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (NKJV)

Did you know salt has over 14,000 medical and industrial uses?

Salt can heal wounds, de-ice roads, act as a cleaning agent, be a power conductor for electricity, and flavor food just to name a few of its applications. In Jesus’ time, salt was highly valuable. It also preserved food, played a role in religious ceremonies, and even served as a form of payment. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt, which is where the word "salary" comes from.

The people who heard Jesus say "you are the salt of the earth" would have understood that He was calling them to show God's glory in all the countless ways God reveals Himself.

When Jesus called us the salt of the earth, He was making a powerful point: we, His followers, are meant to bring the flavor and light of His Kingdom into a stale and dark world.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. (NKJV)

God has called us to be a light in a world covered in deep darkness.

Isaiah 60:2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. (NKJV)

The King calls us to step into our rightful identity and shine His light in a world that is lost in the darkness. God’s desire is that His wisdom and glory be revealed through us, His church.

Ephesians 3:10 so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. (NASB)

Prayer: Lord, “Here I am, use me.”