Salt and Light Log

In the sermon on Sunday I took the opportunity to reflect on the salt and light log we have created as a congregation. The purpose of this was to help remind us of how God has created us as the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World. This gave us the opportunity not to gloat but to discover how we are living into our being as ‘children of God.’ We asked, “What does it mean to live who you are created to be?”

Here is an excerpt from Sunday’s sermon:

“I heard from quite a few of you this week how you are salt and light. Thank you for your responses, many of them touched my heart and I know for many of you doing this assignment helped draw you closer to your identity in God and Christ. I would like to share with you now some of what I heard.

In this place and beyond you are blessed, you are salt and light and you are living into who you are created to be...

I learned this week that you shine your light as you hire people who really need it to do odd jobs, and as you knit prayer shawls and toques, and make quilts for the community.

I learned that On Wednesday night the Bethany Unit made up 23 treat bags for the Women's Centre filled with toiletries and cosmetic samples as well as a Food Basket for them to raffle at their store.

I learned that you are salt and light as you take people to appointments even when their gratitude is hard to see

People have told me some of you are light for them because you listen and offer a positive perspective and attitude.

Some of you offer the salt and light of advice and wisdom even when you don’t always see the results of changed lives

You try to be honest and trustworthy, and help others in need.

You strive to be good friends and listeners.

I love how some of you admitted that most of the time you do these things with a willing heart but it can be hard. Sometimes being salt and light calls us to stretch ourselves to see the face of Christ in the most unlikely times and circumstances.

In this place people are salt as they prepare meals for other with a desire to enhance their life.

You are salt and light as:

You encourage forgiveness.

You listen even when you can’t solve the problem

You appreciate God’s world with gratitude and awareness

You do your best to value the earth and preserve if for future generations.

You share your resources with those who do not have all that you do.

You value loving kindness and pray for peace and justice.

You care for children and seek to teach and offer them hope and light

You try to live the mantra “May I see the face of Christ in others and may they see the face of Christ in me".

You ask yourself when you are frustrated or angry "What would Jesus do?"

You sing or assist with the choir

You seek to offer a light presence that others might be lifted up.

You participate in things like UCW, worship committee and others

You bake for funerals or assist at the tea

When you help others you recognize how fortunate you are.

You work and care for people with disabilities, with children, with adults, with seniors, and friends

You volunteer for a variety of agencies, you care for the community, and you throw parties for the neighbours.

Some of you are salt and light as you are intentional in your life and as you work and live as a critical thinker.

Some of you have chosen to do overseas work, and some have chosen to daily pray for others, some of you do your best to always believe in new possibilities, you volunteer and seek to live light every day in your work lives.

You won’t be shocked that many of you let me know how difficult this was to do and a few of you could only do it for others. But that was the point in a lot of ways it was to help remind us of our identity. We quickly forget who we are, and that we have been called salt and light, that we have been blessed to be a blessing along with so many before us.

Some of you were shocked to discover that you actually do have the light of Christ in your very being. That in discovering how you live salt and light every day you discovered more of who you are and you remembered how then you shall be. Our lives do have purpose and meaning and that is why we are here to continue to discover that and live into our wholeness.

...Choose life in the light of Christ.

Amen.