You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

‘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.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all 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 in heaven.

- Matthew 5:11-16

Jesus continues with the Beatitudes. In yesterday's reading, we read about the blessings of membership in this kingdom, of those who sincerely seek it. Jesus elaborates on verse 10 of yesterday's reading: 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He continues:

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. We are to continue in the footsteps of those who have come before, who sought right-relatedness with God and God's kingdom. My study bible notes that "in willingness to suffer persecution, the Christian shows his loyalty and unity with Jesus Christ. He walks the road of the prophets, saints and martyrs. ... Suffering for Christ is attended with inexpressible joy." I think it's important to understand that a life of faith is not necessarily attended by an approving cast of thousands, nor will the world around you necessarily just fall into perfect place. It's not about building an image of ourselves or "seeking praise from men" that forms some concrete synthesis without paradox or conflict or rejection. Faith necessitates a relationship; building the kingdom is a part of that relationship. In this way, Christ is letting us know that we are related to those who've come before us, whose lives weren't made simple or easy by virtue of their faith, their willingness to bear that kingdom within themselves. So we will also become united with Jesus as the great example of what it is to serve. I know many people that I imagine would simply call this nonsense, and have all kinds of explanations and words for why anyone would believe it or be asked to believe it. But I doubt that these same people would feel it silly to sit up all night with a sick child, or to go to great lengths to care for someone they loved, or to stand by a spouse going through a hard time. It is in that loving relationship, the practice of love, that this joy is understood. So it is with the relationship to the kingdom, and the depth of love in that relationship that "passes understanding." A bond or commitment of love is not silly and neither is it exploitation or foolishness.

‘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. My study bible says that salt had religious and sacrificial significance because of its preservative powers, necessity for life and its ability to give flavor. It symbolized the making of a covenant. To eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty. Thus as the salt of the earth, Christians are meant to be preservers of God's covenant and give proper flavor to society. By acting as salt, we preserve what is necessary, and we keep something important from perishing. We add an ingredient to the society that enlivens everything, bringing out what is alive and meaningful, brightening the flavor of life. Without our own savour or flavor, we cannot do this. We become useless.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all 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 in heaven. Light is a symbol of God who is the "uncreated Light." In the Old Testament, light is symbolic of God, the divine Law, or Israel in contrast to the Gentiles (as we have seen already in Matthew's gospel, Jesus is referred to as the light shining to the Gentiles, or those who sit in darkness). In the gospels, Jesus as Son is referred to as "light," the "light of the world," the "light shining in the darkness." By participating in the kingdom, we are to carry that light within us, and to point to the great light for others to see. We are to be "light bearers." We are encouraged to let that light shine before others, not to be afraid, that the purpose of the light is to shine. In other places in the gospels, Jesus is quoted using these same metaphors when he speaks about the kingdom and its nature.

Clearly, we carry this kingdom within ourselves, we are to live out its energy, its teachings, its reality, and so let that light shine before others. This is despite persecution, slander, and a host of other unpleasant experiences we may encounter for doing so. These, in fact, unite us with those who have come before, and with Christ himself. There is nothing that is worth deterring ourselves from the kingdom, we are taught here. We are to be disciples in faith, in a reality akin to salt and light. Discipleship requires discipline and strength and self-awareness; its rewards are those things we carry with us. We're not looking for a defined synthesis of the world and our faith - quite the opposite, we may encounter hardship, difficulty, persecution. We live that paradox. We carry our cross. And with it is joy, light and salt, unity. But most of all, a tremendous, inexpressible, compelling, transformational love that "the world" does not seem to know. This gives the salt its savour. This light, lit within us, is the light we are to shine before others, so that it points to its Source.