I love salt. On Friday, I baked honey whole wheat bread and almost forgot to add the salt. Fortunately, I tasted the dough and was able to fix my mistake or it would have tasted very bland. When we talk about someone as “the salt of the earth” we are saying that they are straightforward, honest, the kind of people who add zest to life. We’re paying them a compliment.
I also love light, especially in these dark winter mornings when I get up and light a candle to pray. Light is one of Creator’s best inventions, pretty much the first thing that happens in the Bible. God says, “Let there be light!” and it happens. When we say, someone “lights up a room when they walk in,” it’s another compliment.
But it’s not always easy to be the salt of the earth or the light of the world, is it? In our human condition, we all have days when it’s easier to snarl than smile, or to be like this:
Suffering is part of our human existence, and when we suffer, life becomes flat and tasteless. Sometimes it’s hard work just to keep going. I’ve been there, I know. I’m guessing we all know what it’s like to want to crawl into a dark hole and stay there. That’s why I need this pep talk from Jesus every time I hear it.
You are the salt of the earth, he says. Who me?
You are the light of the world, he says. Not me! Not when I'm feeling like this.
But he insists on it. And honestly, I don’t want my life to be like salt that is trampled underfoot. I don’t really want to live in a dark hole, either. If I tell myself that, I’m lying. I mean, it’s okay to sit in darkness for a while, because healing can happen when I take a break. But what I eventually need is somebody to care enough to help me out of my dark hole.
Jesus is doing that by his encouragement here, though sometimes I also have to talk to the God-with-skin-on people that I’ve spoken about here before, so they can help me. Do you have someone like that in your life? I hope so.
Did you hear what Jesus says about the torch? He says “No one hides a torch under a basket but puts it high on a pole so all in the house can see by its light." He says, “Let your light shine so that others may see the good you do and give glory to Creator.” Jesus is reminding us that there are others around us, too, and that our light touches others when we let it shine. And those others might need our light, even when it seems dim, when we know we're not at our best.
Following that thought, I’d like to share with you an experience that I had when I was in the darkness. I can’t exactly replicate it here, but I can invite you to use your imagination.
Sit as tall and as comfortably as you can, feet on the floor if that works for you, and take a deep breath in, letting it out slowly and quietly. It will work best if you close your eyes, but if you’re not comfortable with that, just relax your body, and listen to my words. Let your breathing be gentle and natural.
Imagine you are sitting on a cushion on the floor in a very dark room where you can’t see anything… But you’re not afraid… the room is warm and comfortable, and you know that you're safe…
In the darkness, you sense that there are others around you, but when you stretch out your arms, all you find is empty space...
Suddenly, somewhere ahead, you hear a match strike and a small light blazes, then dims. It’s hard to see, but it is there…
Focus your attention on the dim light… After a moment, you realize that it is slowly increasing just a little…
Soon you can see the silhouettes of three people at the front of the room who each have a lit candle in front of them… and the dark shapes of others sitting on the floor around you…
The three candle bearers remain still, but three others stand and begin moving among the group, passing something out… and soon you have an unlit candle in your hands…
Everyone returns to their places… and after a moment of absolute stillness, the three with lit candles reach out to light someone else’s unlit candle…
Light is passed from one to the next, and soon comes to you from a friend you recognize…
They smile at you as you light your candle… and you smile as you pass your light to someone else…
A gentle, clear voice says, “Rise to your feet... You are the light of the world… Lift your light high and look around you…”
Everyone in the room raises their candles over their heads, and the room glows even more brightly…
You realize you are surrounded by your favourite people, and they’re all smiling…
The voice says… "No one lights a candle to hide it but raises it up so that all can find their way. Let your light shine so that all can see the good you do, and give praise to God…"
You stand in the glow of the room, surrounded by smiling faces, wondering if heaven might be like this…
Take a moment to tell God how you are feeling…
I invite you to gently open your eyes and return to this space, and to pray with me with some of the words from Psalm 112 as we heard it earlier:
O God of Wisdom.
Help us to be salt and light in our world.
In Your love is the power to calm the storms of our struggle and suffering.
Help us to remember that your love is in us too, for others.
O, that we might learn to bless others selflessly,
to be a silent blessing for all by letting our light shine for them!
Help us to know You,
O God of Wisdom.
+Amen
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