Being salty

August 1, 2010
Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth . . . light of the earth . . .

The beatitudes (Blessed are those who . . .) speak to the essential character of the Christ-followers. The rest of Matthew 5, 6, and 7 (the Sermon on the Mount) deals with functioning as Christ-followers. We can regard the first 12 verses as an instruction list, followed by examples and applications.

The Sermon on the Mount has alway challenged those who want to follow Jesus. We come to God expecting Him to look at the world the same way we do. In these chapters, we discover that His view is much broader. Perhaps many older American Christians expect God to join them in emphasizing ethical purity. The current generation of Christians expects God to challenge them to change the world. These passages actually emphasize both, along with other dimensions (trust, contentment, focus) that we might otherwise overlook. By taking our time with these verses, we can get God's perspectives instead of just seeing what we already know.

Salt and light describe influence. These verses mark the transition from describing a Christ-follower to applying the Christ-life to our everday lives. In this sense, they definitely take the side of those who expect Christ-followers to affect the world around them.

The world that ignores God is dark and bitter, bland, and out of control. Many good things still happen in this world, even when it ignores God. But it is still decaying, and it is powerless to stop this process itself. Christ-followers can be salt and act as a preservative for a dying, decaying world.

Inevitably, the world without Christ takes good things and perverts them. The internet, so useful for communication and information, is a good example of a tool that can easily be used for bad purposes. Pornography was mentioned in class, but social bullying, misinformation, and identity theft all come to mind quickly as well. The world is dark, and it cannot generate its own light. Those who follow Jesus are expected to bring such light.

Salt has its own flavor, but it's primary purpose in cooking is to bring out the flavor in other foods. Those who follow Jesus can help to bring out the best in all their relationships. Their influence can help others see what God really intends. These followers can also be an inspiration to others to aim higher than they would have.

Salt also preserves. We who follow Christ are tobe stewards of the world. This involves helping the world ecologically, of course, but also socially and politically and ethically. By living with Kingdom standards, we can build and maintain relationships, remind others of God's purposes, and slow the decaying process.

Salt purifies. God made the world good. There is still good within most things, even if they are not obviously "Christian." A tendency toward bashing things we disagree with usually alienates. We might have more influence by standing for the good elements we see, rather than attacking the bad. (We were reminded that we are called to self-control, not other-control.) Our standards of integrity and morality should have a positive influence for Jesus.

When Jesus changed the description to light, He was making it clear that we are not to be "secret disciples." We are to be visible, illuminating the darkness around us. Light can provide guidance. By reminding others of truth, we can provide warning without resorting to bashing. The condition of the world is not positive. It needs a moral compass.

Christ-followers are to be different from the world around them. Jesus does say that it is possible to lose our saltiness. "Holy huddles" were mentioned as a way to lose our influence. By sticking with like-minded people only, we give up our ability to help others. The Pharisees who opposed Jesus started off with a good motive: Let's keep our lives aligned with God's ways. But by isolating themselves from others, they soon became self-righteous, exclusive, and opinionated, with a fortress mentality. The Church of the Nazarene emphasizes living a holy life, and has fought the temptation to become a fortress rather than a rescue station.

A final thought about salt: Salt on an exposed nerve causes pain: "The truth hurts."