Solid Love February 16

February 9 Scout Sunday Isaiah 58.1-9a, *Matthew 5.13-20, Light Love

Jesus, a master of perfect examples, gives us as Christians two identities in the gospel of Mathew. The first identity Jesus gives us is salt. As Christians we are the salt of the earth. Salt is awesome because it is considered a stable compound.  That is to say, it can be relied on time and time and time again. Salt is not likely to corrode, decompose or explode under normal conditions. We can always count on salt to preserve food throughout several seasons and lengthy travels. Salt gives food a nice taste, and draws heat so water boils faster when you sprinkle in some salt.

Salt was so valuable in Bible days that it was often traded ounce-for-ounce with gold. Roman soldiers were paid in salt. In fact, the word “salary” is derived from the word for salt. If a Roman soldier didn't do his job, he wouldn't get all of his salt. That's where we get the phrase, "He is not worth his salt," if someone does not do a good days work. So when Jesus identifies us as the salt of the earth, we are reminded that we can be counted on to be a very stable and valuable influence. We are a commodity that has no expiration date. We can even stir up life-giving waters and bring a much needed momentum. We are like salt.

The second identity Jesus says we are is the light of the world. How many of you were without power in this last storm? It was great to finally see the light. [slide of city lights] How many are still without power? What a challenge!! In the twinkling of an eye, everything changes when there is a power shortage. We are forced to adjust our meals. Our routine water sources no longer exist; we walk into a room and automatically turn the light switch to no avail. All our habits shift. This state of affairs can be distressing as well as refreshing. In the darkness, we remember how blessed we are to have the light. We remember how much we rely upon the light to live the lives we live.

Because we know how important light is, we all the more need to let our light shine. That’s exactly what Jesus tells us to do, let our lights shine, to let the world know we have values and standards and behaviors that bless our lives. Before  the days of electricity, people would come to church with their lanterns and hang them at the end of the pews. If you did not come to church, that area of the sanctuary in the House of God was dark.

We need to let our lives shine.  in verse 16 of this morning’s gospel, Jesus tells us to  let our lights shine. Why? So that others may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

We are to let our lights shine in a world that is in urgent need of light to live. We are the light that reflects the goodness of God. We overshadow evil with good. We overshadow terrorist threats in Sochi. We overshadow angry men who kill fathers just because they are texting their children in a movie theatre during the previews. We overshadow floods of anxiety and fear, catastrophe and tragedy. We remind the world to light their candle rather than curse the darkness. We need to let our light shine. It makes the world a better place.

We need to let our light shine so that the world can see clearly the lessons God has given us. What we have learned does not make us better than someone else. What we have learned does not mean we have achieved perfection, but God’s high standards are our goal.

The world has dog-eat-dog standards. The world does not always care. Old Testament standards relied upon the eye-for-an eye and a tooth-for-a-tooth mentality. So if a conflict resulted in one party losing an eye or knocking out a tooth, that party reserved the right to gouge out the eye or knock out the tooth of the offender. As harsh as that sounds that was really a good legal compromise. For, we know that there are masses of people today who declare enemies and hold grudges. When one of their brothers or sisters is offended, they think nothing of killing thousands of the offender’s family members and friends. How sad. So when we consider the weapons of mass destruction that the world stashes, we can appreciate one eye for one an eye and one tooth for one tooth, rather than one eye for thousands of eyes.

There is a couple known as the tiger couple. As Yale law professors, they are successful by the world’s standards. Amy Chua and her Jewish husband Judd  Rubenfield  have researched 8 groups of Americans who are disproportionately successful. Their claim is that they are successful for three reasons – they think they are special, they are driven to prove themselves to a world that makes them feel insecure, and thirdly, impulse control. All three components seem to make a world of difference for success anywhere.

We are known as a Christian nation. Our lifestyle testifies to that. A stronger case for Christian influence may be being made by the church in Korea. Even though there are 35 million Buddhists, and only two million evangelical Christians, Christian values dominate that culture. Are Korean Christians more influential, and if so, is it because they have more of a sense of how special they are to God, how driven to prove God’s goodness, and how much impulse control they have not to be distracted? Perhaps.

 I heard about a man that was walking through a county fair when he met a tiny little girl who was carrying a gigantic fluff of cotton candy on a stick, which was almost as big as she was. He said to her, "How can a little girl like you eat all of that cotton candy?" She looked up at him and said, "Well, I'm really much bigger on the inside than I am on the outside." That’s what the Holy Spirit does for each of us, makes us bigger on the inside than we appear on the outside. We have a capacity to be what the world so urgently needs. We are the salt of the earth. We are the light of the world. Pass the salt. Let there be light. Amen.