HELLO!

I hope to see you on Sunday. For two weeks we have endured some challenging winter weather. I know several of you have stayed home and watched the services the last two Sundays. This week our theme is being salt and light. In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus calls on us to shine, to be salty.

What if we forgot what it is to be salt and light? What if we lost what that means? Maybe being light in the darkness makes sense, but what is it to be salt? Jesus is telling us who we are. We are salt. We are not ‘supposed to be’ salt, or ‘encouraged to become’ salt, or promised that ‘if we become’ salt, God will love us more. The language Jesus uses is descriptive. It’s a statement of our identity. We are the salt of the earth. We are that which enhances or embitters, soothes or irritates, melts or stings, preserves or ruins. We are the salt of the earth, what we do with our saltiness matters. Salt by itself doesn’t do much. Too much of it can ruin things. But the right amount can enhance and make things better.

Historically, religious covenants were sealed with salt. Salt was so valuable, it was at times used as currency. Light is also an essential part of life. Each day we are reminded of its precious gift when the sun rises faithfully, warms the day, and fills the sky with colour. Eugene Peterson in his Message paraphrase of the Bible: “You’re here,” he says. “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of the earth.” God’s the main ingredient in life. God is always there. But God’s not always obvious, not immediately recognizable in all our ups and downs—especially the downs. To be the salt of the earth means to help the world, as the Psalmist says to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” We become ourselves not by ourselves, but only by bringing the main ingredient, God, to the fore. Like salt. We’re salt, not just for ourselves. But for of the earth. For the world.  Again, Eugene Peterson’s Message translation is helpful: “God is not a secret to be kept,” he says. “We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!”

Gandhi once said he was very fond of Christ, but not so much Christians because they were so unlike Christ. All sorts of sins—racism, sexism, homophobia, have left countless people with a bitter taste. At the same time, though, I’m willing to share my favourite restaurants with friends—you gotta try this! We’re willing to plaster our favourite products over social media, because we feel like other people need to know just how awesome they are, and because their lives will be the better for it. We don’t need to be obnoxious or pushy. After all, shine too bright and people will look away, pour out too much salt and you scorch taste buds.

Jesus says point to it and say—I think it’s God at work. Here’s how it’s changed my life. It’s helped me. This is what we call testimony. Letting our light shine before others, so they, too, can catch sight of the truth, beauty, goodness of God. Not to coerce people into believing.

Let your light shine. Be salty. Peace, Kevin