We Are the Salt and Light of the Earth
“You are the salt of the earth, bit if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all that are 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 who is in heaven.”
I have a lot to say on the topic of salt. It seasons and preserves food, serves as a necessary electrolyte, and it is delicious. It’s a significant and important factor in our oceans, providing a home for numerous species of plants and animals. In fact, salt is so important that it is one of the five major taste sensations!
But the Bible asks a good question: what good is salt that has lost its saltiness?
Well, it’s not of any use at all. If salt loses its saltiness — in other words, the basics of its chemical structure and properties, is that is what makes it salty — then it is useless. It won’t season or preserve food, it won’t serve as a necessary electrolyte, and it won’t be delicious. It is worthless.
The same principle applies to light. Light is a key aspect of the world around us. With it, we can see tones, colors, textures. Most importantly, with light, we can see into the darkness, revealing any dangers or predators that might be lurking. If a source of light is suddenly removed or hidden, it’s of no use to us!
Both salt and light do kind of similar things in their own, unique ways: they both add richness and depth to the world as well as providing important, life-preserving functions. They both bring life.
We are called to bring the Gospel into the world and to demonstrate Jesus’ love for the world through our actions to others. That calling needs to permeate everything that we do and everything we create! Our creations should be designed to uplift one another, uphold God’s commandments, and love our neighbor in some form or fashion.
This does not mean we need to constantly be creating fluffy pieces of artwork where there is no darkness and stories where nothing bad ever happens. In fact, depicting the bad as well as the good can be an important way to uplift others! It can give them a space to process and learn to navigate the bad that is happening in their own lives or in the world at large!
But at the core of everything we do there needs to be a good, Godly message. It doesn’t have to be complicated or dramatic, it doesn’t have to involve long-winded sermons or directly quoted Bible verses. It can be as simple as depicting moral good in its struggle against evil.
There are an unlimited number of ways to infuse salt and light into a story!
Putting it into Action: muse on the phrase ‘salt and light of the earth.’ How do you interpret it? What do you make of Jesus’ metaphor for us in these verses? In what ways can you see becoming salt and light of the earth, in either your day-to-day life or in your creativity?
