我們在世上的作用
馬太福音五章13至20節
13你們是世上的鹽。鹽若失了味，怎能叫他再鹹呢？以後無用，不過丟在外面，被人踐踏了。
14你們是世上的光。城造在山上是不能隱藏的。
15人點燈，不放在斗底下，是放在燈臺上，就照亮一家的人。
16你們的光也當這樣照在人前，叫他們看見你們的好行為，便將榮耀歸給你們在天上的父。
17莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知。我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。
18我實在告訴你們，就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也不能廢去，都要成全。
19所以，無論何人廢掉這誡命中最小的一條，又教訓人這樣作，他在天國要稱為最小的。但無論何人遵行這誡命，又教訓人遵行，他在天國要稱為大的。
20我告訴你們，你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義，斷不能進天國。
信息分享
首先，基督清楚指出，跟從祂的人乃是世上的鹽和光。鹽可以在人不知不覺間發揮很大的作用。光是人人看見，也使人人獲益。
鹽用在食物之中，可以發揮防腐的作用。如果神把信徒看作是鹽，那麼信徒所處的世界，必然是一個腐敗的世界，因為罪已進入了世界，使世界變得腐敗。但信徒可以做些甚麼呢？
讓我們看看基督的教導。鹽若是放在調味架裡，是沒有用處的。鹽必須放進食物裡面，不管那是肉是菜或是湯裡，才能發揮調味的作用。
換言之，信徒若要發揮作用，他就不可以只留在信徒群體裡面；他必須與這個罪惡、腐敗、失喪的世界接觸。信徒必須走到世人中間見證基督。用基督的另一種說法，就是要讓自己的光照在人前。
鹽會令人產生口渴的感覺。我們吃了一些很鹹的東西之後，往往會感到十分口渴。我們為基督所作的見證，會否令人渴慕認識基督更多？鹽應該有這種作用。我們所活出的見證，應該使人更渴慕基督。耶穌在世的時候，經常吸引罪人圍在祂的身邊──他們是自知有罪，但渴慕得著改變。
倘若別人在我們身上，清楚看見基督如何滿足我們，他一定會被吸引，想認識基督更多。他們可能會說：「我雖然不是很明白，但是，在你的身上，我看見我所需要和渴望擁有的東西。」
我們若想為基督做鹽做光，最好就是向人見證基督為我們所成就的一切。
禱告：
主啊，求你使我在世人中間做光做鹽，讓別人透過我的生命看見你的作為。
OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD
Matthew 5:13-20
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Message
Christ said plainly that they (and we) are like salt and light. Salt has a strong but unseen influence. Light is a visible benefit to all. These are only two of the 49 or more objects which Christ mentioned in his Sermon on the Mount.
Salt helps to prevent decay in food. If God sees Christians as salt, then the world around us must be decaying. This is because of sin. What then should we be doing?
Let's take Christ's word and follow it through. Salt is of no use while it is kept in a jar or in a salt shaker. It must be put into contact with the food, meat or vegetables or whatever, to do its work.
As salt I will have to be in contact with the sinful, decaying, dying world if I am to help it. That means I can't always stay in the company of Christians. I need to get out and witness for Christ. To use the other word Christ used, I need to let my light shine.
Salt creates thirst. Following a meal in which we have eaten very salty meat, we find ourselves thirsty afterwards.
Does our testimony for Christ in this world make people long for Christ? It should. Our lives should make them thirst for Christ. Jesus attracted sinners-those who knew they had sinned and who longed to be different.
If people around us could clearly see how Christ has met our need, they would be attracted to him. They may say 'I don't understand all about it, but you've got something I need and I want it'.
The very finest thing we could do for Christ would be to show to others what he has done for us.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord help me to be salt today. Let others see what you have done for me.