Simple but true.
| You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew5:13-16) |
Salt was used in biblical times to preserve food. (There were no fridges or freezers to conserve it). We are the church in a world where sin, impurity, disobedience and spiritual decay destroy lives, communities and society. This rot is a real enemy of the church itself, when it destroys our witness and when our way of being church suspends our witness for the holy Son of God and his triumph over spiritual death.
To be the salt of the earth is to preserve the world through living the Gospel by being made holy in Christ.
This same society also seems to be lost. During load shedding we bump against our furniture, cannot find the torch or the matches quickly enough, become disorientated in our own homes and fear the enemies that may lurk in the dark.
Christ Jesus is the light of the world. His Spirit makes his light shine in and through us without any risk of "spiritual load shedding" that will steal our impact on life's murkiness.
So we become the light of the world. Our words and testimony, and more importantly our lives, servanthood, care, outreach and example become a lamp on a stand providing a way out of the haze caused by the confusion resulting from a corrupt world where the dangers of foolishness and disarray destroy lives, families, communities and a nation.
Let us with determination shine the true Light before others. Let's be the church that stops the rot and becomes the GPS for a world in fear, because they lost all sense of direction and the celebration of life.
Let's restore dignity, purpose, joy, festivity, peace, mercy and love!
"This little light of mine – let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"
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Andries Combrink is the minister to Centurion West Presby, husband to Marthie, dad to 3 thirty somethings and proud granddad to the prettiest 10 year old girl he knows!
