Matthew 5:13-16

"You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Salt was a precious and very valuable commodity in Jesus' day.  Especially at that time in history salt was valuable as a preservative against decay.  It was also valuable as an antiseptic or a healing agent.  Even today salt is considered valuable as a seasoning.  Salt adds flavor and zest to our food.

Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth.  Jesus says to us in Matthew 5:13a. "You are the salt of the earth."  As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are a valuable preservative against evil in this world. We also need to be an agent of healing in this world.  Our Christ-like influence should be making an impact for Jesus Christ on those who do not know the Lord.  As salt adds flavoring and zest to food, our lives should radiate our joy and zest for serving the Lord and for bringing glory to His name.

Yet another quality of salt is that it makes one thirsty.  Are we making others thirsty for a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?  Finally, salt is poured out of a container.  We also need to pour out our lives in service to God and others.  If we lose our "saltiness" we will become worthless, however.  Matthew 5:13b reminds us "if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." If we seek to blend in with the world and to become just like the world in our values, attitudes, and life styles; we lose our "saltiness" or influence for God in the world.

Jesus also says to us in Matthew 5:14a, "You are the light of the world."  We must shine like bright lights for Jesus Christ in this dark world of sin.  In fact, the darker the world becomes in sin; the brighter the lights of our lives must be in comparison.  There are many different kinds of lights used for many different purposes.  We must shine for Jesus Christ wherever we have been placed in our small corner of the world.  We must not seek to hide our lights.  Jesus says to us in Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  We must not seek to adopt the world's standards and values.  You and I must let the joy, purpose, and light of our personal relationship with the Lord shine before others.  Others must see Jesus Christ in us through our words, actions, and our character.

May it become our passion to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world."  May we never lose our "saltiness" or seek to hide our lights for Jesus Christ.  May others truly see Jesus Christ in us!