Salty and Bright

Here are some thoughts on this Sunday's gospel. What do you think? This was sent to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.

Gospel: Matthew 5:13-20

 [Jesus said:] ¹³“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
  ¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

  ¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Many of us have been given descriptive nicknames by family members or friends. As short as my name is, I remember being called “Iv” (all one syllable)  by a good friend. Jesus has a name, actually two names for his disciples: salt and light.

I don’t know about you, but the division in our country is well past getting old. We are all sick of it. Such  divisions make life in our world that much harder. Sometimes life seems so blah. It’s bland—like soup without salt. Too much salt and food is not edible and too little makes it incredibly tasteless.

God in Christ in us makes life in this world so much more palatable. We can be someone who makes such a difference in someone’s day, transforming the tasteless into something brimming with flavor.

Jesus also calls his disciples light. We cannot manage without light. Have you ever tried getting up in the middle of the night without turning on a light because you were so sure you knew the way around your own house and then, “OUCH!” You have bumped into something or stubbed your toe. Thank God you didn’t go falling down the stairs. Even a little light, a nightlight’s amount of light can convert darkness into light.

Jesus calls us to be light in this dark world. The light that shines through us is the light of Christ. You may recognize these words we use in the baptismal liturgy, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

The thing is, God calls us to be who we already are: salt for flavor and light for safety, so God may be glorified.

Picture