Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, 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 who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16
If you think about it, an apathetic temperament is an insult to all of the earth, mineral and piece of stardust that were forged together to create you. We are each mini, complex universes pinned with a soul. We each have immense God-given purpose and the potential to fulfill it. God wants us to realize the blessed responsibility our influence has. A listless life neglects to adequately use that influence and the impact we have during our allotted time here. Jesus explains in the aforementioned verse that were constructed as lamps in order to shine. Form supports function.
Our form was expertly created and intended to support our function. Therefore: function. Jesus came as a servant and exemplified the life of servitude in order that we would know how to function within it: what to expect physically, how to react emotionally, and how to respond spiritually.
The manner in which we serve is different for each person. Based on our location, interests, inclinations and other personal intricacies. God places each of His children into a specific environment, one in which they, specifically, can thrive when united with Him.
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
God distributed spiritual gifts tailored specifically to their recipients. In an effort to reach every one of His children, God knew that one single method would not work for billions of people. Our passions and aspirations are different; our skills and abilities are different; and God knew that those differences were important.
For example: Some have the gift of extroversion, and their extroversion helps them to readily form friendships that support others' emotional needs. Alternately, some have the gift of introversion, and in solitude they write books or plays or movies that inspire people to follow their own dreams. Of course, we are all more complex than that. We cannot be reduced to one specific quality. God is able to reign all of our characteristics into alignment with our environment and the people who inhabit it with us.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Whatever the gift we have been given, we were given to in order that we may give. What we received from God is our salt, meant to be potent not bland. We are, after all, fellow-workers with God, 1 Corinthians 3:9. We are instruments through which He delivers blessing throughout families and regions within the earth. God has invited is to participate in the manifestation of blessing. Though He could have kept the glory for Himself, He has chosen to delegate and share.
In Matthew 14:19, Jesus did not feed 5,000; Jesus let His disciples feed the multitude. He handed the glory to His fellow-workers. God's greatest joy is the expression compassion. He felt that as His children, we would have inherited that quality from Him. The natural joy of empathy and mercy. We were made in His image, Genesis 1:27, not physically but spiritually. We require spiritual nourishment. Spiritual nourishment comes from seasoning the world with righteousness.
We fulfill our role as salt of the earth when we provide shelter for the refugee. When we provide food for the hungry. When we provide water for the thirsty. When we provide friendship to the lonely. Hope to the downtrodden. Laughter to the sorrowful. This gospel to the empty.
Literally.
Figuratively.
Our time and friendship and sense of humor and shoulder and listening ear are all lights we can use to pierce darkness. Our talents and skills and admirable traits were not meant to amuse us; they were meant for others. Self-importance and greed are baskets which mute the light we were given to shine on others. Such a life is contradictory to how we were intended to function.
Similar to a solar system, God has placed us into dynamic networks. We have influence as mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, friends, cousins, grandchildren, teachers, leaders, scientists, mechanics, singers, actors, engineers, doctors, nurses, assistants, dancers, artists,... whatever our position in family, relationship or society, God has provided us the salt to use that position to its full potential.
One person cannot advocate for the entire world. A single individual's scope is too narrow, the reach too short. We cannot salt the entire earth by ourselves. But we can each be activists within our local environment, within our family and community. And when we do, the entire earth is seasoned.
One lamp or even many lamps cannot light the entire earth; the sun cannot even do that. But billions of lamps? A light from every living soul? In Matthew 9:37 Jesus essentially tells us that there are simply not enough lamps. There is a lot of work to do among humanity; there are a lot of places that need salt and light. But there are not enough laborers willing to do the work of salting and lighting.
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt..." Colossians 4:6
Every day and conversation is an opportunity to season the earth. Therefore: Be salty; shine. You were made for it!