The church flavors and lights the world
Daily Scripture
Matthew 5:13-16
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13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? It’s good for nothing except to be thrown away and trampled under people’s feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Salt: that white stuff in a shaker (unless we prefer the fancy types). For most of us, salt makes things taste better, and we miss it if health reasons make us limit salt. In Jesus’ day, with no refrigerators, people used salt to preserve food as much as to flavor it. As for light, today we light empty parking lots more brightly at 2 am than Rome or Jerusalem’s main street was ever lit. People in Jesus’ day had oil lamps, candles and torches—but they couldn’t even imagine an idea like “light pollution.” More darkness made light more valuable. “The Bible is enveloped by the imagery of light, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of the biblical narrative, physical light springs forth as the first created thing (Gen 1:3–4). At the end of the story, God’s light wipes out all traces of darkness: ‘And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light’ (Rev 22:5)…. The imagery of light makes nearly two hundred appearances.” * Jesus said his followers, together, “are the light of the world.”
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Scholar John Stott wrote, “What was then popularly called ‘salt’ was a white powder (perhaps from around the Dead Sea) which, while containing sodium chloride, also contained much else. There were no refineries…. the sodium chloride was probably the most soluble component and so the most easily washed out. The residue of white powder still looked like salt… but it neither tasted nor acted like salt. It was just road dust.” ** What steps can you take to ensure that the culture around you does not “wash out” the effects of your loyalty to Christ? Scholar William Barclay said people “are to see our good deeds. In Greek, there are two words for good. Agathos simply defines a thing as good in quality; whereas kalos means that a thing is not only good, but also winsome, beautiful, and attractive. The word used here is kalos.” *** How can other Christians’ encouragement help you not hide your light under “a basket”? Prayerfully choose one appealing way you’ll shine your light in the weeks ahead.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to make this world “taste better” for all those who know me. Make me more and more transparent so that your light can shine out of me like a beacon of love, grace and peace. Amen.
GPS Insights
Amy Oden
Dr. Amy Oden is Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality, teaching at several seminaries. Teaching is her calling, and she looks forward to every day with students. Her latest book (Right Here, Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness, Abingdon Press, 2017) traces ancient mindfulness practice for Christians today. She first wrote this blog post for us in February, 2023.
At a time when many people hear “Christian” and think dour, self-important people who judge others and live narrow lives, Jesus gives us a very different picture. Jesus says his followers should be salty and lit-up. I love this! Picture people with lives so tasty and lit-up that they overflow to bless others. Sounds like a celebration!
So why don’t we live this way? Jesus says we block out our light by covering it up. He uses the image of a basket. I imagine a black-out box covering our light. This keeps us in the dark. Notice that Jesus does not say our light is snuffed out. No, he says our baskets block light because we put them there.
Then let’s pay attention! What are our black-out boxes? Some of us carry the “I’m not really spiritual enough to be considered a good Christian” black-out box and it hides our light. Some of us carry the “I’m right and they’re wrong” basket that hides our light. Some of us carry the “Younger people don’t know everything like I do” basket that covers our light. What is your black-out box? What makes you pick it up and cover your light? Do you have the courage to uncover it?
Resurrection’s purpose and goals are an invitation to take at least two steps. First, take off whatever blocks the light!
Second, call forth the light in new and younger people. Once we let our lights shine, we are more able to see the light shining in others. God has surely planted lights in new and younger people. Our job is not to tell them they are in the dark. Our job is to see and call forth the light God has put in them.
Let your light shine!
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Article “Light” in Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit and Tremper Longman III, general editors, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, p. 509.
** John Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1978, p. 60.
*** William Barclay, Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Matthew—Volume 1 Chapters 1–10 (Revised Edition). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1976, p. 125.
