salt of the earth

Matthew 5:13-16

 13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 Exhortations

 Jesus used ordinary images, such as salt and light, to convey extraordinary truths. What does salt and light have to teach us about God and his reign on earth?

 Salt was a valuable commodity in the ancient world. People traded with it, like we trade with gold and stock. Salt also served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration.

 Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his disciples are to live in the world.

As salt purifies, preserves, and produces rich flavor, so the disciple of Christ must be salt in the world of human society to purify, preserve, and bring the flavor of God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and mercy.

 What did Jesus mean by the expression "if salt has lost its taste...it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot"?

Salt in the ancient world was often put in ovens to intensify the heat. When the salt was burned off and no longer useful it was thrown out on the foot path where it would easily get trodden upon.

Perhaps Jesus wanted to contrast useful salt and salt which lost its ability to prevent corruption to encourage his disciples to bring the rich flavor of Christ's love, purity, and righteousness to a world contaminated by greed, lust, and selfish ambition.

Do you allow the fragrance of Christ's love, truth, and holiness to influence others through the witness of your life, speech, and actions? Jesus also used the image of light and a lamp to further his illustration.

Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling. The Jews also understood “light” as an expression of the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God. In his light we see light.

 His word is a lamp that guides our steps .

 God’s grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. 

Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God’s kingdom.

In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.

 There is great freedom and joy for those who live in the light of God's truth and goodness.

Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God’s light?