Salt and Light; Matthew 5:13-16

Some churches have a long-held tradition of placing salt on the tongues of newly baptized believers and giving them a lit candle to remind them they are "the salt of the earth and the light of the world." I love the symbolism and the message it sends. It's not, "Go out there and try to be the salt of the earth," or "You better make sure you keep your light shining!" Instead, with commitment fresh and hair still wet from baptism, it lets the new believer know precisely who they are in this world because of Jesus. Salt and light are two identities given to us by Jesus himself. If Christians are to understand who we are together, we need to grasp the impact these two images have on the world around us.