I want to shine a SPOTLIGHT on these three verses.
We have just finished the Beatitudes.
If Jesus had stopped here, if Blessed are the poor in spirit, pure in heart, meek, merciful, and more were the end of his sermon, then I want to ask you a question.
What would be your image of someone following Jesus? Introvert or Extrovert? Private or Public? A quiet person, humble, off in the corner working away with hardly anyone noticing?
Jesus makes some very specific points:
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
Salt is about purity. Salt is about preservation. Salt is about flavor. In fact flavor is the one attribute Jesus highlights. Jesus expects us to be flavorful. Insipid Christians are not what Jesus needs. There should be a sparkle to our Christlikeness.
14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
Lighthouses warn sailors. Lighted home windows invite friends. Flashlights show the way. Light is visible!
Jesus says we are to be visible. People are to see us following him.
16 Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Our light is to shine, and I find the words I underlined and bolded most interesting. They are to see our good work. To be clear, not for our glory, but for God’s. But don’t miss the point. They are to see us doing good works.
The picture is clear. Jesus does not want separate, withdrawn, dull followers.
It all starts with Jesus. He, His Light, must be in us. He must fill and illumine our hearts.
Here also, as we labor, we should note he promises no outcome. In fact he has promised we will be reviled. In the west, we have been blessed with a world that sought to try and order itself around these ideals. Many of us see it evaporating and it pains us.
Jesus calls us to visibly live as his followers. Where we are able to season the world around us, we give praise to God. When the world rejects us, we need to be careful not turn ugly.
How do you process this idea of being a flavorful follower?