Be the salt of the earth and
the light of the world 

“13 You are the salt of the earth. But if 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 by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A town set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
 

Jesus’ words about the salt of the earth and the light of the world testify to his great esteem for us, God’s children. “You are the salt of the earth”: for long periods of human history, salt was regarded as a precious commodity. It gave food its flavour; it preserved food and thus protected it from spoiling. Applied to us: we Christians are to give life the flavour of God and preserve the world from ruin.
“You are the light of the world”: light is not meant to be hidden. It provides guidance and literally brings enlightenment. It warns of dangers by making both good and evil visible. Those who see clearly perceive reality and can face it. Those with clear vision are able to shape the world for the better. If we who believe in God do not hide ourselves, but radiate the light within us that Jesus proclaimed as the Good News, then the Kingdom of God begins here and now on earth. We act inspired by Jesus, and this leads to good deeds that are visible to others (Mt 5:16).
These good deeds have nothing to do with works righteousness, as they flow from the love of Christ himself, from the joy of faith. We allow our neighbours to experience the Good News of faith. It is not about collecting points for one’s own salvation, but about coming to know the love of God, which became human in Jesus Christ. It is about awakening a joy-giving faith in our fellow human beings. In this way, we should and can become an illustration of the Good News – contrary to the position of Friedrich Nietzsche, from whom the following statement originates: ‘The songs of their doctrine always sounded sad to me, and their hatred of the world still rings in my ears. His disciples ought to look more redeemed to me!’ (from: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part 2)
Perhaps you are wondering: what exactly is the Good News? Put simply: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Read the Gospels in the New Testament! Or – if you prefer a quicker approach – the specific context of our Bible passage will suffice. The preceding Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12) form the core of Jesus’ attitude and message:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all manner of evil against you falsely on
my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

The Beatitudes stand in contrast to the values of this world. They show the way to the Kingdom of God. They illustrate how we can be salt and light for the world.
The word ‘blessed’ is no longer really understandable to many people today. Even attempts at translation such as ‘happy’ remain inadequate. Perhaps ‘blessed’ can be interpreted as: ‘God is near to you’ or ‘You are near to God’.
In this sense, I wish you this: hold fast to the Beatitudes; be near to God – God certainly is. In this way, become the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Barbara Heitfeld