“You are the salt of the earth … you are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14)
Christians are ordinary people, just like the world around them. And yet, there is a crucial difference. Besides being citizens of a particular state, Christians are citizens of God’s Kingdom. They influence the world for the better. Jesus compares them to salt, that both prevents food from spoiling and gives it a good taste.
One verse later, believers are called “the light of the world”. They are witnesses towards those who do not yet know God. By their lives, they are spreading the light of the Kingdom, so that others “may see [their] good works and give glory to [their] Father who is in heaven” (verse 16).
Believers don’t produce this light on their own. They are just reflecting the One who dwells in their hearts. He said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
As a Christian, how are you like salt and light towards people around you? Do you see God’s light spread by the lives of other Christians?