Monday, October 26, 2009
Salt and Light
(Matthew 5:13-16)
Some time ago I was doing an inventory on my camping gear, most of which is stored in my camping box—a large, wheeled, wooden box with a hinged lid. Checking through my cooking equipment, I noticed the salt wouldn’t come out of the salt shaker. It was in there; I could feel its weight. It just wouldn’t come out. I threw it away. Similarly, when I turned on an old flashlight, I detected only a dim glimmer of light. The batteries were bad, so I threw them away. The salt and light, though present, had become useless.
Jesus taught that all Christians are salt and light, but He also warned that not all believers would prove useful in those capacities. In fact, some would prove downright useless—having lost their saltiness and hidden their light. It’s not that the salt and light aren’t really there; it’s just that they have become essentially useless.
How does salt and light become useless? One way is through simple neglect. Salt that is stored rather than applied loses its edge. Light that is confined or hidden cannot shine. It’s there; but it’s of no practical use to anyone.
Some Christians are content to be useless salt and hidden light. They wouldn’t want to “sting” the world’s wounds, nor would they want to repel the world’s darkness. They’re salt and light alright—only they’re essentially useless because they neglect their purpose. They refuse to sting and they refuse to shine. And, like my saltshaker and old batteries, they prove basically good for nothing.
