Salt & Light

by Don Sisk

Throughout the history of mankind, God has referred to his people in various ways. In the Word of God, children of God are called His family, a holy nation, a peculiar people. They have been called soldiers, servants, saints, as well as many other titles. In Matthew 5, Jesus said to his disciples, “Ye are the salt of the earth. . . .Ye are the light of the world. . . .”
Prior to this proclamation Jesus had set forth for them the blessed life. He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit. . . .Blessed are they that mourn. . . .Blessed are the meek. . . .Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteous-ness. . . .Blessed are the merciful. . . .Blessed are the pure in heart. . . .Blessed are the peacemakers. . . .Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake. . . .” As we look at these marks of blessedness that we have entitled “The Beatitudes,” there are some very significant things that are omitted from this list.
If the news media were giving a report or present-day philosophers were writing or modern-day motivational speakers were speaking, they would include such things as “Blessed are they who have great power. . . .Blessed are they who have great wealth. . . .Blessed are they who live in large expensive homes. . . .Blessed are they who have all of the latest designer clothes. . . .Blessed are they who are highly educated. . . .Blessed are they who have high-sounding titles or positions. . . .” God made man! He knows the kind of person who really has joy, peace or real happiness. After giving these beatitudes, Jesus looked at that band of believers and said to them, “Ye are the salt of the earth. . . .Ye are the light of the world. . . .” I am sure they must have looked around at one another and seeing their weaknesses, their failures, their errors and their inconsistencies, they must have thought, “If we are the salt of the earth and if we are the light of the world, the world is in bad shape.”
Two thousand years after this proclamation, Jesus looks at each of us as believers and says to us, “For this generation, you are the salt of the earth. . . .You are the light of the world.” Considering these delegated and designated titles, let us look at these two symbols Jesus used to describe the influence that Christians were to have on their generation:

Think about the symbols.
1. Salt, even though not given great consideration by most people, is a very useful chemical. It has three distinctive purposes.
a. It gives taste to food.
b. It preserves that which it covers.
c. It has a healing affect.
2. Light is for the purpose of dispelling darkness.
a. It provides guidance.
b. It allows us to walk without stumbling.
c. It creates an atmosphere in which good things can be accomplished.

When we think about the symbols of salt and light, we are confronted with the world in which we live. “Ye are the salt of the earth . . . . Ye are the light of the world.” The world needs salt! The world needs light! Thus, we must realize that the world in which we live is a corrupt world — It needs the salt! It is a dark world — It needs the light!

1. Huge World — The world in which we live today is a huge world. The world’s population did not reach one billion until the year 1830, but now in the year 1998 there are nearly six billion people on the face of the earth. We live in a huge world.

2. Hungry World — The world in which we live is a hungry world. Over four thousand people starve to death every day, but this is difficult for North American people to comprehend. This great tragedy is immediately recognized when we travel the world and see the appalling lack of the bare necessities of life in other countries.

3. Hurting World — We live in a hurting world. It does not matter the social class of people, their economic condition, their cultural background or any of the other many factors; everywhere we go we find hurting people. All over the world horrible tragedies are occurring. In our own country 35 million babies have been aborted since the Roe vs. Wade judgment of January 23, 1973. Great masses of people are being killed in various countries today — tribe is battling tribe, one racial group is battling another and thousands of people are dying every day. There is a worldwide Aids epidemic and morality is at an all-time low. Practically everything that we once held holy is being challenged.

When we think of the symbols that Jesus used and then think of the world that we live in, what is our attitude? In the great intercessory prayer in John 17, Jesus said, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” In Matthew 5 and in John 17, we find that Jesus had a purpose for believers in the world after their conversion. We are not to be isolated from our world. For sure, we are to practice Biblical and personal separation; however, there is a great deal of difference between isolation and separation. I fear that many of us are living in our protected, “holy” castles and never see the world in which the Lord left us to be the salt and the light. Neither salt nor light have any value of themselves. They are only valuable as they are used to help others. We were not left on the earth for selfish reasons but to be a blessing — to be a help to the world around us.

The attitude of many believers is an attitude of unconcern or indifference. They never seriously think about getting involved in alleviating the great needs of our world.

Others, after realizing what the Lord has left us here for and seeing the great need of the world, have a defeated attitude. They realize the need; however, they have the feeling that what little they could do would not really make any difference and thus they do not do anything.

However, thank God, in every generation there are those believers who realize the great needs of the world in which the Lord has left them. They realize that even though they are only one person, rather than having a defeated, depressed attitude of helplessness, they can make a difference in their generation. The apostle Paul proclaimed in Philippians 4: 13, “I can do all things . . . .” If he had stopped there, he would have been the greatest egoist in all history; however, he continued, “. . . through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Each of us as a believer is the “temple of the Holy Spirit of God.” He lives in us. He can make us a blessing, a help, a healing influence or a guiding light to those with whom we come in contact.

Are you making a difference in the place where God has placed you? One Christian in any situation can make a difference. Both salt and light are rather inconspicuous. They work quietly, but they are greatly needed. May each of us determine by the grace of God to make an impact on our society. If every Christian did what he could through the power of the Lord, this world would be a much better world.

By making an impact on one person, by being a stabilizing force, a purifying or preservative agent in a schoolroom, shop, office or factory, by submitting yourself to God and allowing Him to use you, you can make a difference in the world. The only alternative for Christians is to be “good for nothing.” The savourless salt, according to the Word of God is “. . . good for nothing. . . .” A hidden light misses the whole purpose for being light. Let your light shine. Allow God to use you as the salt of the earth. There is great joy in being used by God.