Matthew 5:13-20 Salt and light
One of the most important things for a church leader to do is to train Christians to be the best witnesses for Christ, from Monday to Saturday. Being in worship on Sundays is the place to be trained for living a life of worship and power outside the church building for the rest of the week.
When a forensic scientist is looking at evidence in an event, those present always leave a trace of themselves – these days it’s DNA that CSI officers look for – in time past it was fingerprints, or similar traces, but these days it’s so much more forensic – a sneeze, a drop of perspiration, a hair, is enough to note someone present.
When Jesus came into the world to bring His presence, the Kingdom of God, into our space so to speak, it was to bring heaven on earth. His gospel question was, do you want to be someone who leaves a trace of my kingdom wherever you go?
The invitation from Him to us to follow Him, and filled with His presence by the Holy Spirit, was to mean that wherever we go, whomever we meet, we will leave a trace of His presence as well as our own with whomever we meet.
So, what trace do we leave with the people we meet? Our neighbours, the people we speak to on the phone, customer service centres, the people we brush up against in our travels by car, train, aircraft: the questions children we know ask us, the mum struggling with young children – in what way do we make the effort to ensure that the trace we leave is of God’s kingdom?
This is the task of every Christian - not just the clergy.
Three things,
- Living a life of grace and kindness. In our gospel reading Jesus talks about us being salt and light. Salt is only needed in minute quantities to make a huge difference to a meal; when preserving meat, again it is not in huge piles, but sufficient to rub in to ensure no rotting begins. When a wound is open, salt may sting hugely – hence the nautical term “rubbing salt into the wounds” after someone had been flogged, but it was done to make sure the person didn’t get gangrene and the healing process was speeded up. Our blood carries a quantity of salt that is easily noticeable if tasted. What salt can do for meals and for preservation is what Jesus intends us to be – do we carry in our bodies the mark, the presence of Jesus wherever we go? Certainly in terms of justice, honesty, truth, righteous living, but also in attitude, in demeanour – are we gracious or grumpy, kind or cruel, warm or cold?
- Living a life of blessing. I have increasingly said “God bless you” in conversations in recent years; it has been so interesting to watch the reaction or to hear it when it’s been dealing with someone on the phone; someone I had a conversation with was so impressed with my “God bless you” that he said “Thank you; it is so rare to hear someone say that to me.” We do live in times when we can be afraid to speak the words of blessing to someone – in case we offend them; I’ve only come across one person so far who avoided me, and said in a derogatory tone to someone else “all he wants to do is bless people!” She was the loser… for blessing is writ large throughout God’s Word. “the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.” Other blessings occur in the Bible, and they are there for a reason. Why? Because we are made to receive blessings from God, and to give them away to others. How can we be a blessing to someone else? How would you like to receive a blessing from God through another person? Maybe it’s when you are in trouble, in need, struggling – and someone comes alongside you and is a listening ear, a friend in need, a helper to be there for you for a season. Maybe someone who brings joy to your home – and in each case bringing the presence of God to us. The scriptures describe us as being the aroma of Christ – to some the smell of death, to others the fragrance of life – for those who hate God, the presence of Christians and of Jesus, reminds them of their fate in the end; to others it is bringing light and hope into darkness and despair.
- Living a life in the light; in the East African Revival of the 1930s to 1950s, affecting Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and other African countries, the manifestation of the presence of God was marked by deep seated repentance and a desire to live holy lives. The effect of 1 John 1:5-10 was profound:
”This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
“Are you living in the light brother?” was the question oft asked when counselling someone or encouraging them in living a holy life. John’s gospel opens with “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it – the light was the life of men… “ John knew all about holy living; he’d seen it in Jesus. He was walking in the light. And Matthew picks this up when Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, neither do people light a lamp and hide it under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so it gives light to all in the house. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your father in heaven.”
What trace do you leave each day? Do you leave others the better for meeting you, being prayed for by you, receiving kindness, words of blessing, and of basking in the light that is shed from your life?
It’s not difficult to live like this. All you have to do is walk with Jesus each day.
