“You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world. (Matthew 5: 13-14).”

Salt was very important and had many different uses in ancient Israel. Salt was used as a preservative to keep foods from going bad and decaying. Salt was used as a flavoring influencer and enhanced bland foods. The Roman army used salt to make soil useless in growing crops, and tasteless salt was thrown out to be trampled on to make paths and walk ways.

Salt also creates thirst. Try eating a few pretzels without the craving for a cold drink.

Likewise, light was also important in ancient Israel. Cities throughout Israel were made from limestone. Once placed upon a hill, these cities would reflect the light of the sun, gleaming brightly, shining as a beacon for travelers in the area. But it was at night when the limestone provided a truly amazing benefit for travelers. When families lit their lamps for the night, the limestone homes appeared to be glowing from the inside out, again providing a beacon for travelers in the area.

When Jesus called His disciples and followers the salt and light of the world, He placed a great responsibility on those who would call Him Lord.

Far from sitting in our comfortable, air-conditioned sanctuaries, we are to be busy being the church. This means we are to be the salt that adds flavor to the life of the world. We are to influence others through our relationship with Christ, leading them to the One who can preserve their life throughout eternity.

As followers of Jesus Christ, our lives should be radically different from those around us. Like the limestone house that gleams in the sunlight, the followers of Christ are to be reflecting the Son’s light as a beacon for the lost. Followers of Christ have moved from darkness to light. This important change begins on the inside, much like the glow of the limestone houses of ancient Israel.

So, let me ask you, is your life adding flavor to an otherwise bland world? Are you inviting others to “taste of the Lord” and find the flavor of eternal life? Does your life say to others you have been preserved from decay? As salt, your work is to spread throughout your entire sphere of influence bringing to bear on the lives of those you meet. Does your life create thirst among the dry and thirsty lives of the lost in the world? Are you the gleaming beacon that leads others to safety in the One who preserves throughout eternity?

Can others see the change that began on the inside and glows in all you do?

As God’s people, we have work to do. Get up — get out and let your light shine before men. Let them glorify your Father in heaven. Be salt and light to the lost of the world.

Guy Biddle is the pastor at First Christian Church in Dowagiac. He can be reached at fccpastorguy@gmail.com