The Scripture lessons for February 5 were Isaiah 58:3-9; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 and Matthew 5:13-20. Pastor Krause began by talking about being humble and being honored, and how Jesus’ likening us to salt and light is both humbling and honoring.
When I hear the word humble or think of being humble my mind always turns to Philippians 2:3-8 where St. Paul writes:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
For me humility is a lot like love. It is self-forgetfulness in other-thoughtfulness. In humility our focus is not upon our self, but upon another or others. In humility one wants to redirect people’s attention and valuing. In humility one wants to direct people’s attention away from one’s self and direct people’s attention to the valuing of others. Jesus humbled Himself by valuing us over Himself.
John 3:16 “For God so loved [valued] the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [bracketed word added]
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus calling us salt and light is honoring us as He humbles Himself in valuing us as instruments of His love in the world. It is also humbling in that the whole purpose of His so honoring us is that we humbly redirect His valuing of us to His love and valuing of all people. One could say “this makes no one special” or one could say “this makes EVERYONE special.”
1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Pastor Krause pointed out the when Jesus said “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13) and “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) that “you” is not a singular “you,” but a plural “you.” Singularly none of us are going to produce much light, but collectively we can light the world.” As Pastor Krause spoke I was reminded of Ephesians 4:16:
Ephesians 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
If the world and everyone in it is to know the love of Jesus, it is vital that each of us let our light shine or as Pastor Krause reminded us “to let His light shine through us” for we are but a reflective light. It is Jesus and Jesus alone who is the source of light. It is Jesus who is the true light.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
St. Paul reminds us of this truth as writes in our Epistle lesson for the day:
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Pastor pointed out that Jesus says we can lose our saltiness, our positive impact on people, and when we do so we are “no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men” (Matthew 5:13). However, Pastor also pointed out that God in His grace can and will make those of us who are in Christ salty again. Again, I was reminded of words from St. Paul:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
In Christ, through God’s grace we are constantly being made new. Martin Luther talks about the “old Adam,” our old self, daily is drown, and a “new Adam,” a new self, is daily, even momently reborn in Christ Jesus.
My friends, Jesus has called and commissioned us to be salt and light to and for all those we encounter every time we encounter them. We do so by actively loving each and every person we meet as He has and does love us.
John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Amen! Jesus, make it so today!
My reflection. Now it is your turn. What do you think?
(All passages are taken from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
Chime in with your thoughts and questions in the comment section!
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