It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it makes my day. It usually happens after I tell my friend a story about my kids, some of course are my struggles with parenthood. As a single mother, doing right by my sons is extremely important to me. So when a friend says to me, “Anne you are a terrific mother,” I light up. I feel so validated and motivated, I want to be an even better mother. The sheer affirmation inspires my best.
Motivation can come in a variety of ways. Some are negative like through guilt, fear, or shame. But I think most of us know guilt and fear might work in the short run, but not in the long run. An overly strict parent might have a well behaved young child, but the teen years often bring a different story of rebellion. We have certainly seen the corrosive effects of bullying and power plays rather than encouraging the best in people to shine through. True motivation comes by affirmation. Jesus knew this. He had just taught his disciples the beatitudes lifting-up the marginalized and giving them hope. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek and the merciful for they shall be nearer to God. Jesus affirmed all the ways people are suffering now, mourning, hungry, but then declares in God’s kingdom they are included, honored, loved and valued. Even when the world seems to be saying the exact opposite. In God’s word the marginalized matter. Having just tapped into their vulnerabilities, Jesus affirms who they are:
You are the salt of the earth.
You are the light of the world.
Notice Jesus did not say, you can become salt and light. No, he affirms a current reality, that with God, living in the Spirit, you are salt and light to the world.
So, what does it mean to be “the salt of the earth”? Jesus was complimenting his followers when he said to them, “You are the salt of the earth.” In the ancient world salt was a valuable commodity. Workers were paid with salt. An interesting footnote is that the word “salary” is derived from the word, “salt.” Persons wanting to buy something in the ancient world would pay for it with salt, in the same way we use money today. People would treasure salt as we might value gold or silver. Jesus says to you, “You are the salt of the earth and you have value!”
Salt is such a valuable commodity because it was used to preserve food in the days before refrigeration. Today, persons who butcher their own meat often use salt to preserve it. Salt was also used as an antiseptic to clean out wounds. This sounds painful, but cleaning out a wound with salt was very effective in fighting infection.
Perhaps the most important thing about salt is that in its purest form it never loses its taste. Salt will always be salt. Salt does not get stale or lose its flavor if it’s stored for a long period of time.
This was a lesson a certain father hoped to teach his son. The father said to the son, “Put this salt in water and come back to me in the morning.” The boy did as he was told, and the next day his father said, “Please bring me the salt you put in the water yesterday.” “I can’t,” replied the boy. “It has dissolved.”
The wise father told his son, “Taste the water from this side of the dish.” Again the son did as his father told him. “What taste does it have?” his father asked. “Salt,” the son replied. “Sip it in the middle,” the father instructed. “What is it like?” The son once again took a sip. “Salt,” he exclaimed. “Sip it from the other side of the dish,” the father continued. “What is it like?” “Salt,” the son replied. Next, the father told his son to pour the salty water on the ground. The boy did so only to discover that after the water had evaporated the salt reappeared (Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight (New York: Doubleday, 1988), p. 144.).
When Jesus tells you, “you are salt” he is saying, you have staying power. Forces will try to dilute you, or weaken you, but when you are placed in the light of the Son, his Son Jesus Christ, you will be restored to your true form, your valuable form as a child of God.
YOU are the salt of the earth!
Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world!”
Jesus is motivating you to be the light of the world. A light that is not hidden, but rather is a beacon for those around you. A light that attracts others like a moth to the flame. A light that shouts out to the people in our community, Jesus is Lord and the bearer of light and love.
I invite you to close your eyes and take a deep breath, and imagine yourself bathed in white light. You are standing tall and strong, fortified and loved. Breathe in the light, imagining it’s shimmering effervescence moving through you. There is no darkness this light cannot drive out. You feel its warm glow touching all aspects of your being, inside and out. You are one with the light and you are an expression of the light of God. YOU are the light of the world. (You can open your eyes)
When we are connected to God’s light through Christ we easily shine in the dark corners of our communities. It is that light which inspires us to feed the homeless at the VFW, and to care for the needs of the afflicted through hygiene products on Saturday mornings. It is that light that motivates trips to El Salvador to stand with those oppressed, and bring light through education. When we do these things, our light shines in the darkness. We reflect the light of God to the world making true the scripture passage, “This is the message we have heard from God and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is not darkness” (1 John 1:5)
There is an old Quaker saying that goes, “If you want to destroy the darkness, then just light a candle.”
Have you ever noticed you cannot light a candle by yourself? Unless you are smarter than I am, you can’t light it with just your hands. You can rub it this way. You can turn it upside down. You can twist it. You can pitch it up in the air. Do anything you want with, but it is not going to light, is it? The light must come from the outside in order to light a candle. The source of our light is outside of us. The source of our light is Jesus Christ. The paradox of time is that we have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We have learned how to make a living, but have we learned how to make a life? We have got fancier houses, but more broken homes. We have been all the way to the moon and back, but we still have trouble crossing the street to meet our new neighbors. We have conquered outer space, but how are you doing with the inner space of your life. We have cleaned up the air, but have we cleaned up our souls? We split the atom, but we have not conquered our prejudices. (Sermons.com, J. Howard Olds, Light a Candle).
Our light, the light of Christ in us, plays out not only in our actions towards other, but in the lives we lead. The choices we make. The love we share.
Let your light shine, Christ’s light in you, when you “loose the bonds of injustice” and live deeply a life of compassion and peace. Amen.
