Salt and Light – Matthew 5:12-20

A text – Matthew 5:13-20

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. ¹⁵ People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For 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. ¹⁹ Therefore, 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. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

A reflection:

Salt and light. Jesus says we are the salt. But we have to BE salt and bring flavor and joy into the world, bring that part of the kingdom of God to our neighbors. Jesus says we are the light. But we have to BE the light and bring light into the dark corners of our neighbors’ despair in order to bring that part of the kingdom of God to our neighbors.

One of my favorite writers on biblical preaching, Dr. Karoline Lewis, writes this about our passage for today: “It’s one thing to know and to claim your identity. It’s another thing entirely to live it. But, we have to. Why? For the sake of the kingdom of heaven coming to pass here and now and not just in our future. Think back to the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount. To learn is to put information into action. The disciples have learned who they are. Now, they need to know what difference this makes.”

If we are disciples and we are salt and light, it’s no good just knowing we are. We have to live it in the world every day to benefit our neighbors. That way we become a piece of the kingdom of God coming near. Jesus’s trouble with the scribes and the Pharisees may have been that they had all the knowledge of these things but didn’t act on it, didn’t live it out to their neighbors, but instead they stayed safe in their fine institutions and neglected the poor and the outcasts whom God loves.

Karoline Lewis once more: “What Jesus needs from us, evidently, is a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. “No!” we might say, “Jesus didn’t really mean that.” But what if Jesus did? What if Jesus’ intention was for us as disciples to imagine and live into a righteousness that makes the kingdom of heaven possible.” Not staying safe and aloof in our vast knowledge but living it out in the world. Being salt and light the way the scribes and Pharisees did not do. Being of some use to people who are bearing heavy burdens very near to us. How might we be salt and light this week?

A prayer:

Lord God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for even considering us to be your disciples. Help us to see where we can add flavor and light to the lives of people in our circles this week. Amen.