A 5 year old girl
asked her mom what a Bible verse meant that her class had discussed in Sunday
School: "Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father in heaven." Her mom said, "Well,
it means that when you are good and kind, you are letting Christ's light shine
in your life before all who know you."
The very next Sunday
in Sunday school, the little girl got in a bit of a spat with another girl and
created somewhat of an uproar. The
Sunday school teacher had to go and find her mother to get her to settle down
in class. Her mother said,
"Sweetie, don't you remember about letting your light shine before
others?" The girl blurted out, "Mom, I am sorry, I think I blowed
myself out."
In our morning lesson from Matthew, Jesus says something
astounding, something extraordinary to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world.” Prior to this Jesus called himself the Light
of the World, but now he declares that his followers are salt and light?
Jesus clearly wanted his followers to see themselves as salt
and light in how they lived and how they functioned in life. To this ragtag band disciples, Jesus’ words
must have sounded quite peculiar. But
Jesus saw something in these disciples which they did not see. And Jesus knew God’s plan for them which they
did not know. And isn’t that true for us
as well? We often don’t see ourselves
the way others see us. And we don’t see
ourselves the way God sees us or know the plans God has for us?
Why would Jesus use a metaphor like salt and light for his
followers? Listen to what God is
saying to you in this teaching.
Salt is valuable. Roman soldiers carried salt with them
instead of gold when they traveled
long distances through arid lands. It
was prized commodity for trade. Jesus
was giving kudos to his disciples. He
was affirming their value by calling them salt. Do you hear Jesus affirming
your value, your worth, when he refers to you as the salt of the earth?
Salt is a preservative. It was used to keep food from spoiling; to
keep food fresh. Sailors in Jesus' day
packed food in salt to preserve it on long voyages. What is God calling you to preserve? What comes to your mind? I think of some examples: we are to preserve
the gospel, the good news of God’s forgiving love in Jesus Christ and pass it
to the next generation; we are to preserve biblical morality like the Ten
Commandments; we are to preserve the value of the family and marriage, we are
to preserve biblical values like
honesty, truthfulness, kindness, respect, goodness, we are to preserve
biblical precepts like loving others, justice, righteousness, we are to
preserve the church, the body of Christ and its worship and mission in the
community and world. Sprinkle a few
grains of salt and it preserves food.
What is God calling you to preserve?
Further salt is for
seasoning, it lends flavor to things.
Food without salt is flavorless and insipid. Don’t we often use seasonings to spice up our
food: garlic, shallots, onions, peppers, paprika and salt? Now salt alone isn’t very tasty. Most people don’t enjoy snacking on salt,
like a cow with a salt lick. It’s a
catalyst. Coach Bear Bryant had a sign
hanging over his locker room that said, “Make something happen.” Salt makes things happen. Salt brings out flavor and adds taste. The
late Christian author William Barclay writes:
“Christianity is to life what salt is to food. Christianity lends flavor
to life.” How can you and I lend flavor
to life? By bringing humor in
situations. By seeing the humorous. By being able to laugh, even at yourself, and
getting others to laugh with you. Oliver
Wendell Holmes wrote: “I might have
entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted like
undertakers.” Robert Lewis Stevenson
wrote: “I have been to church today, and
I am not depressed.” We lend flavor by
having a positive attitude rather than a negative pessimistic one. By showing gratitude and appreciation rather
than complaining and grumbling all the time.
By giving encourgement to someone when he or she is down, rather than
criticism. By bringing enthusiasm,
energy and zest to others.
Laura Armstrong is the founder of Chemo Angels, which
is a volunteer organization dedicated to adding a ray of sunshine to those
undergoing treatment for cancer. Laura
has provided that ray of sunshine by gathering volunteers, called "Chemo
Angels," who commit to regularly sending cards, gifts, and other tangible
expressions of encouragement. Here's
one mother's note to the Chemo Angels:
"Justin received not one, but
two packages yesterday! He was so thrilled. We had a very difficult day at the
doctor's office. Then, when we arrived home, there were two boxes waiting for
him. It was perfect timing! It is almost
as if someone "up there" is timing the arrival of the Angel
packages. Thanks again for all you and
the Angels accomplish. It is truly miraculous! —Lorie.”
What do you need to do to season your witness? The letter of Colossians 4:6 counsels when
talking with unbelievers: “Let your
speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you
ought to answer everyone.” I'm not
talking here about using salty language.
But in finding positive and constructive language to share your faith
and hope in Christ. Jesus calls you and
me to bring out life’s flavor. If we
make no effort to positively affect people around us, to bring glory to God, we
are like Jesus said, “salt which has lost
its saltiness.” We are of no use to
God. We should not try to just blend in
with everyone; but rather to bring out flavor in life.
Jesus is saying bring out the abundant life which God offers
all people, bring out the joy of life in Christ, bring out purpose by helping
others to discover God’s plan for their lives, bring out hope to those who are
experiencing emptiness, brokenness, and
hopelessness.
Sprinkle a few disciples here and there, sprinkle some of
you around in places and no telling what God will stir up, no telling what
flavors you’ll bring out, or what you will preserve. The highest calling we can have in life is
knowing God used us to accomplish His plans and purposes. Someone said: “Unless salt gets poured out of the shaker, it remains a mere table
ornament.” Are we salt shakers or table ornaments?
Jesus further said you are the light of the world. Light is life. Light is fundamental to humanity and all
creation. In the book of Genesis, God
said: “Let there be light, and there was
light. God saw that the light was good.” God created light on the first day. In our New
Testament lesson, Jesus, the Light of the world, came to bring humanity out of
the darkness of sin and into the light of God.
Jesus declares to his followers something astounding: “You
are the light of the world. A city built
on a hill cannot be hid. No one after
lighting a lamp puts in under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it
gives light to all in the house. In 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.”
Jesus says you are to glow brilliantly, to burn brightly, to
blaze intensely. Jesus asserts that as
Christ's followers, through our faith and actions, filled with the indwelling
Spirit of Christ, we reflect the light of His glory to the world. For the purpose of light is to
illuminate. As lights, we are to
witness to the one true light in our daily lives. We are not the source of the light; we are
reflectors of the light of Christ.
Jesus' light shines in and through us so He can be seen. Are you hiding Christ’s light or reflecting
it?
A Chinese proverb says:
“It is better to light a single
candle than to curse the darkness.” In the face of adversity and
disappointment, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, than to
complain about the situation. But, I
know, because I've been there, it's much easier to curse the darkness.
Jesus words cause us to ask:
“Who me?” Does that question
cross your mind at hearing Jesus words?
How to do we reflect the light of Christ? We radiate light when we inspire courage in those
who are paralyzed by fear, when we help others to find a solution to their
problems, when our words and actions inspire others to place their ultimate
faith and trust, commitment and obedience in God. And what an honor, what a privilege to be a
means of someone's coming to faith or renewing trust in their faith.
We radiate light when we light the path of others. When we are a guide, a leader, a mentor to
someone. We are a light when we make the
time and take the time to spend with someone who is lost or aimless or confused
and needs light to open up his or her path.
We radiate light when our words and actions inspire hope in
others. When they begin to believe that
possibilities exist, that there is a pathway out, that the future is open, and
that they are not alone, but there is another who is with them. The Bible says “Through Jesus Christ, we have obtained access to this grace in which we
stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.”
We radiate light when we truly love others in Christ without
thought of recognition, acknowledgment, credit or compensation.
I think of an elderly woman at my former church in Monument,
CO where I served as pastor. She was a
Registered Nurse, long retired, well into her 80's. She volunteered at the
local high school as a tutor/mentor for students who were having academic
difficulties. She was well known,
respected and beloved. She went a couple
of days a week to the high school, and tutored one-on-one with young people
having difficulty with some subject like math.
And she made it clear why she is there, she not only loved kids, and
wanted to use her talents, but she found ways to witness to Jesus Christ. I saw and heard how she brought the light of
success and understanding and love to students who were struggling with the
darkness of failing in school.
Are you hiding Christ’s light or revealing it? God’s eternal light shines in you. The highest calling any of us can have in
life is making the world a little brighter because of the way we live and move
and have our being.
I close with these words from the late artist Thomas
Kinkade: “I believe we all have a greater
purpose to our lives than merely existing day to day. Each of us in our own unique way is called to
let our light shine.” I believe it too.
Others are to see our good works, which are meant to draw attention not
to ourselves but to God. “Let your light
shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to God.” Amen!
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