Taken in

 Matthew 5:13-20; Isaiah 581-12

Salt and Light, things which cannot change what they are yet make a huge difference. Salt binds with our food to create more flavor and taste to things. It makes them go from bland to an expression of goodness. Light, which helps us to see when we can't. Or gives us a better way to see than stumbling over things in the dark. Each contributes to enhancing our way in life. So why is Jesus talking about these two things in the sermon he is giving to his disciples here?

Matthew's gospel concentrates us on righteousness. Some times we begin to think righteousness is just right living. We can make a set of rules, or take a set of rules, like the ten commandments and then live them as if breaking them is what is the solution. Unfortunately this doesn't set us on the way to right living. 

This is what the prophet Isaiah is telling the people of Israel today. You have made the law such a thing that it is empty. You don't treat your neighbor well. You don't even think of them. The two things which are most important are loving God and loving neighbor and we don't. It is easier to take the law as prescriptive and point out others faults and not even look at whether we have taken in this way into our hearts.

Love of God, love of neighbor, easy right? It is an everyday practice actually. Verna Dozier wrote a whole book about the dream of god: A Call to Return. She outlines how from the beginning God has called us to this practice and we keep failing to see where we are to love God and love neighbor. We are constantly called everyday to this, but we cannot live it without constantly turning to God.

Dwelling in God helps us to become the salt and light we need to be. To add flavor and light to the world. So others taste and see that God is good. Rules are easy but they don't help us to love God and neighbor. 

There was a song quite a few years ago by Chris Rice called Carry your Candle. In it the words explain how we might run to the places which are dark with our candle so we might light up the world. It talks about addiction, those who are confused, those who are hopeless. The way we light their candle is to be the ones who accept instead of reject and rules are just made so we reject and cut off others instead of welcome and open our arms and hearts to them. 

Being salt and light is not easy. We must practice this relationship with Jesus more and more. See the places and people where he opened his arms instead of made rules for them. See the way in which we have cut off and cut out the concerns of others by saying they aren't worthy enough. And start to find our relationship with God. This is the way to righteousness is in God's love shown to the world in surrender and sacrifice. Will you carry your candle?