How To Be Salt And Light In The World Today

I recently read my kids the cutest story which got me studying Jesus's concepts about being the salt and light of the world.  The story was about a little girl who had to piece of work every bit her mother was gone and her dad was crippled.  Of course, this story takes place long ago but it has a timeless lesson.

The little girl would sing a song almost existence a light in her little corner.  She could not contribute much just she could do the all-time she could and shine for Jesus with her expert attitude.  I will exist honest, it did convict my heart a bit.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much it bedevilled my listeners lol

Considering the fiddling daughter was letting her light smoothen, she also inspired others to allow their lite shine in their ain fiddling corner of the world and so Jesus's love was spread to everyone in the story. Shining in your own corner looked differently to each character.

What does existence the salt and light of the earth mean for us today? What was Jesus trying to teach us?

Salt and Lite Verses

Let'south begin with salt and lite verses.

"You are the salt of the globe; just if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is so good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot past men.

"Y'all are the lite of the earth. A city that is assault a hill cannot be subconscious. Nor practice they light a lamp and put it under a basket, only on a lampstand, and it gives calorie-free to allwho are in the house. Permit your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in sky. (Matthew v:thirteen-16)

Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be assault a lampstand? For there is nothing subconscious which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  (Marker 4:21-22)

"No ane, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or putsit under a bed, but setsit on a lampstand, that those who enter may run across the light. For nothing is secret that will not exist revealed, norannihilation hidden that will not be known and come to light. (Luke 8:xvi-17)

No one, when he has lit a lamp, putsit in a secret place or under a handbasket, but on a lampstand, that those who come up in may see the light.  (Luke 11:33)

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will exist seasoned with salt. Saltis skilful, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have common salt in yourselves, and have peace with i another." (Marking 9:49-50)

What Does Table salt Mean Spiritually?

The thought of salt having more of a spiritual significant than simply preservation offset dawned on me when I read the words of Jesus mentioned above.  He makes reference to table salt and sacrifices.  This was i of those instances in which you know you have read a poesy multiple times and suddenly yous are like, "WHAT?".

I had no idea that table salt was mentioned alongside the sacrifices so I started to dig and found not only where God commands table salt be used but a new concept of a "covenant of table salt".

Of form, Jesus and the people he was speaking to had an understanding of these practices which is why Jesus mentions it.  I, personally, had no agreement of these practices so had to do some inquiry.  I accept to share with you what I discovered.  It brings the salt verse of Jesus into a whole new light.

And every offer of your grain offer you shall season with salt; yous shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings y'all shall offer salt. (Leviticus 2:thirteen)

"All the boost offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I take given to you and your sons and daughters with you lot as an ordinance forever; itis a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you lot and your descendants with you." (Numbers 18:xix)

Should you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the dominion over State of israel to David forever, to him and his sons, past a covenant of table salt?  (2 Chronicles 13:5)

We also find that salt has various implications in Hebrew. Information technology is a symbol of barrenness and destruction.  Remember Lot's wife, who turned to a pillar of salt during the devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Jerusalem Perspective Online suggests that Jesus is continuing the above thought in which he is encouraging us to remove any sinful torso member less nosotros be cast into hell.  Considering the Jews of the day understood that salt also refers to destruction it is not a stretch to say this poetry continues with the teaching above.  He suggests a more accurate translation of the verse is "Everyone [who is bandage into hell] will be completely destroyed" every bit in destroyed past burn down.

So and then if nosotros put both new (to me!) concepts together, we find that salt is needed in sacrifices and that it also means devastation.  Sacrifice and destruction. A symbol of a covenant and a sign of barrenness.

How practice we sum up Jesus's teachings embracing both of these new ideas?  I believe Jesus is referring to those who are not willing to remove the sin in their lives alarm that they will be cast into hell.  He continues with talk of sacrifices, symbolic to God'southward covenant, and then asks what happens when the table salt loses its effectiveness.

What does happen when salt loses its effectiveness?  It is worthless.  I know this sounds harsh but and so are those who refuse to follow the Lord.  Their efforts are worthless, getting them nowhere, no matter what quotient of  "skilful" people they try to be.

Jesus ends his pedagogy in Mark 9 with this commandment.  "Have common salt in yourselves and have peace with one another".  How do we have table salt in ourselves?  Past removing the sinful areas of our lives.  Past denying to self and providing our lives a living sacrifice. During this process, we are destroying the lecherous man.

Only once we have allowed God to remove the darkness from our hearts can nosotros live at peace with our fellow man.  (For more on removing sin in our lives and living in the spirit check out "Do Non exist Conformed to this Globe: 5 Strongholds We Need to Let Go Of").

Before nosotros leave this give-and-take on the spiritual meaning of common salt, permit'due south visit one more concept.  Common salt has been used to preserve meat for thousands of years.  It prevents it from spoiling.  Every bit followers of Christ, we are a kind of preservation.  As we spread the gospel of Jesus and share his words with others, we preserve truth.

Nosotros continue it from existence corrupted or ruined. As we lean into Jesus and grow closer to him, we can pass that truth onto the next generation.  We preserve the path to heaven for those who come after united states.

You are the Light of the Globe Meaning

We know that Jesus is non only talking about a real lamp.  Why did Jesus emphasize putting the lamp on a stand?  What is the spiritual pregnant of the lamp?

Simply put, God is light and the lamp represents Him.  In turn, Jesus is the light and nosotros represent him.

Let's go back to how God represented himself equally light in the One-time Testament.

The first place we encounter this is in Genesis ane:3 in which God said "let there exist low-cal, and at that place was light".

We could get very philosophical hither simply we are going to go on it simple.  God created light on the first day of cosmos as an expression of Himself.

In many heathen religions, we see the worship of the lord's day.  Rather than worshipping the creator, they worship the created (Romans 1:25). Information technology's actually kind of interesting when you await it up.  Stay with me, I'm making a point, just check out this list.

• Sol, the Norse lord's day goddess
• Helios, the sun god of the Greeks
• Inti, the lord's day god of the Incas
• Arinna, sun goddess of the Hittites
• Surya, the Hindu sunday god.

One of the plagues God sends upon Egypt is darkness for three days.  This was meant to show Yahweh'due south power over Ra, the Egyptian dominicus god.

My betoken is that God identified himself equally a calorie-free Earlier He made the lord's day.  The very beginning thing He did during creation was made Himself known.  How?  By creating light!  While other religions worship the sun, the greatest light in the sky, we worship the true God, the creator of all.

When God calls Moses, He appears as a burning bush-league (light).

Moses saw that though the bush was on fire information technology did not burn up. So Moses idea, "I will become over and run across this strange sight—why the bush does not burn down up."

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"

And Moses said, "Here I am."

"Practice not come up any closer," God said. "Have off your sandals, for the place where yous are continuing is holy footing." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his confront, because he was afraid to look at God.  (Exodus three:2-6)

After the Children of State of israel are delivered from slavery, God leads them through the wilderness.  He is a pillar of cloud by twenty-four hours and a pillar of burn down to requite them light at night. (Exodus thirteen:21)

God was represented by fire.  Merely like our lamp.

Scripture prophecies of a coming day when God'due south light will no longer be concealed but will surround us.  More than evidence that He is light.

There will be no more than night. They volition not need the low-cal of a lamp or the light of the dominicus, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.  (Revelation 22:5)

The sun will no more be your lite by twenty-four hour period, nor volition the effulgence of the moon shine on you,

for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will exist your glory.  (Isaiah 60:xix)

And so what does all of this mean to me?

Jesus declares himself as the lite of the world.  Equally his followers, we reflect his light.  We are meant to be and then focused on him that the light shines forth from the states.  It is not hidden under a handbasket or a bed.  It is placed on a stand so that everyone may meet the low-cal.

It is important to note that but equally the moon reflects the sun, we reflect the low-cal of God.  We are not a calorie-free ourselves.  Our lamp is fueled by our close contact with the light of the world.

This is why Jesus mentions men seeing your practiced works and glorifying God.  We are constantly pointing the way to God.

How Can I exist the Table salt and the Low-cal of the Globe Today?

And then then how can I be the table salt and the low-cal of the world today?  How do these verses use to me?  What is Jesus telling me to exercise?

Jesus is telling us several things:

• Nosotros, his followers, are the common salt and the light.  We are meant to share God'south truth with the globe.
• Being the salt and light of the world is an ongoing process every bit we describe closer to God.
• It is necessary that we always indicate the way to Christ in our words and actions.
• Sacrificing our lecherous nature is the just way to obey these commandments.  We cannot signal the way to Christ and preserve his truths when nosotros are not post-obit him obediently.

These points tin mean different things to each of u.s.. For some of u.s., it is working in ministry, for others, information technology is assuasive God to use usa at our jobs. No thing where y'all are the salt and the light of the globe, it begins in your eye. Ask God to bear witness you where y'all can exist a light.  Evaluate your walk with him.  Is it potent?  Are you just going through the motions or are you on fire for Christ?  Is he the lover of your soul or are you satisfied with a lukewarm faith?

Are y'all obeying and sharing Christ's words?  Are you both walking in the truth and reflecting it?  Have yous denied yourself?

These are difficult questions and I welcome y'all to share your thoughts in the comments below.  How are you obeying Christ'due south command to be the table salt and lite of the globe?

You might also relish these posts!

The Parable of the Lamp on the Stand

20 Light Overcomes Darkness Quotes to Enlighten Your Day

Source: https://lessonsfromhome.co/what-does-being-the-salt-and-light-of-the-world-mean-for-us-today/

Share this post