Monday, June 28, 2010

Speaking the Truth in Love

Salt & Light (Matthew 5:13-16)
I really liked the analogy comparing salt as the union of two parts, love & truth.
It seems love & truth can have opposite effects.

Na+ = Love

Sodium / Na+ (LOVE) is a positive ion and Na+ cannot be by itself but must be combined with many other ions. Likewise, love attracts all kinds of people. Love without truth is blind & will combine with any "truth" or doctrine in the form of blind zeal.

Cl- = Truth
Chloride / Cl- (TRUTH) is a negative ion and Cl- by itself can become a noxious and overwhelming poison gas. Likewise, truth by itself can be offensive & hurtful, unless it is combined with pure & sincere love.

NaCl = Salt of the earth


Opposites (positive & negative ions) attract. When Na+ combines together with Cl- it forms Sodium Chloride / NaCl, table salt, which we put into our food.

So when Love (Na+) & Truth (Cl-) come together you have perfect union, Salt of the earth (NaCl).

When it comes to chemistry I am more of a visual learner. Pictures really help me to visualize the interaction.

Love + Truth Salt of the earth

But, when you add water, the equation is reversible meaning it can go in both directions:

(aq = aqueous/ "in water")

So is this also true?

Love + Truth + Water Salt of the earth + Water

Is this taking the salt analogy too far? Maybe not...

One interesting fact is that salt (NaCl) is exposed to water when it enters your mouth. In water, NaCl (Salt of the earth) ionizes aka separates again to Na+ (Love) & Cl- (Truth).

I know this was not in the sermon but this sparked my curiosity.
What does water have to do with salt?

Water / H2O (the red & white circles in the pictures above) is an important component in the equation. But what does it have to do with the passage from Matthew 5?

This reminds me of the passage in John 4 when Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman at the well about "living water":

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)

I could only guess that "living water" is the Holy Spirit. Correct me if I'm wrong (Jdsn)

Ultimately, this would suggest that the Holy Spirit is essential when speaking the Truth in Love.


Anyway, I remember thinking when I first read the passage about Salt & Light, what good is salt besides giving a little flavor to food?

I thought, why did Jesus compare His disciples to salt & light?

Well this message really clarified my confusion...

A true disciple of Christ...

1. Influences the world

Salt is...
  1. Palatable - salt gives flavor to food. The true disciple makes life desirable and beautiful.
  2. Precious - in the days of Jesus, salt was EQUAL in value to gold. No kidding. Roman soldiers were paid in salt, a salarium (the origin of the word salary). The true disciple is precious in God's sight.
  3. Preserving - salt preserves food from decay. The true disciple prevents corruption to sin.
  4. Pure - salt that is mixed in with other things is bland & useless. The true disciple is free from corruption to sin & compromise with the world.
2. Illuminates the world (Ephesians 5:8-14)

Light is...
  1. Conspicuous - light cannot be hidden; The true disciple does not hide his faith. It is obvious to everyone.
  2. Contagious - light will shine; The true disciple's faith inspires others.
So now that I know what salt & light Jesus is talking about-- I can't believe I am saying this but it is amazing that we ARE salt & light! It is a plain fact not a command. I don't have to pretend to be salt & light or my hypocrisy will be exposed for what it is. I shouldn't be a reflection of light otherwise I would be a spiritual thermometer instead of a spiritual thermostat. The influenced instead of the influencer.

The true disciple should influence the world. The world should not influence the true disciple.

Phoebe Baker who visited us for only a short time had a noticeable impact on our EM. I didn't even talk with her personally yet I can still notice the positive changes in our EM. Yet, she is just one example of what a fully surrendered vessel of God can do. The only difference between someone like me for example and her is SURRENDER.

The true disciple who is fully surrendered to God has the power to change the world--for the glory of God!

I feel that Jesus is telling me through this passage that as salt & light I should be pure and sincere. Free from compromise with the world & with sin. Free from hypocrisy. To be pure & sincere.

God may we truly be pure & sincere as you have called us to be.

9 comments:

D said...

Whoops, this is longer than the one before!
Don't you wish I made it one sentence just as I (jokingly) requested, Jdsn? xD

Jane said...

oohhh .. i'm a visual learner too .. i love seeing pictures.. and i love chemistry .. so this is cool and amazing ..

Anonymous said...

for a moment, i thought i got into the wrong website when i saw those chemistry equations and diagrams!

good application, david!

D said...

Sorry, years of chemistry in hs & college has made me a chemistry geek.
Chemistry is my 2nd language! (because it is definitely not korean according to big Jane..lol)

little jane said...

i had to read the chemistry stuff a couple of times, very slowly to get it... chemistry is sooo not my forte :(

D said...

I just realized it sounds like I'm kinda boasting in the previous comment...ahhh I still battle with the sin of pride...I repent.

tobiacus said...

wow..you guys are fast. you guys said everything i wanted to say.
ok. bye. =)

D said...

Okay, I edited a bit to make it a little easier to understand.

It is amazing how much truth is in just from one short passage in the Bible

I love how I can read the same passage over and over and get more out of it each time.

D said...

Oh boy this post is really long..it stretches the limit of my own attention span haha.