Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Jesus was conducting a training session for his disciples. He taught them the Beatitudes in verses 1 to 12 of Matthew 5. He outlined what their attitudes and responses should be to their circumstances as they carried on their daily lives. After that he summarized it all by telling them that they were salt and light. Their lives would be a shining example to those who do not know the Lord. Light dispels darkness and shows the way forward. Salt makes things savory and palatable. It preserves but it also cleanses in order to facilitate healing.

I live in a crowded city and I am often overwhelmed by what I see daily. Just the speed at which people move is hazardous to well-being, theirs and everyone else around them. Then I look at faces and sometimes I can tell that some individuals have completely forgotten how to form a smile – their countenances bear so much pain and stress. Many of us as believers have succumbed to that pattern of existence because we fail to take time away to be with Jesus and listen to him.

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus would often go off by himself to pray and commune with his Father or sometimes with his disciples. Jesus practiced intervals of separation which were evidently necessary for renewal. I grew up in a village where there was no electricity at the time. At about age, part of my daily duties was to see that the many glass lamps we used were refilled with kerosene, the wicks trimmed or replaced, and the shades washed and dried, before lighting them each evening.  Only then would they burn effectively until bedtime. We owe it to ourselves to be deliberate about withdrawing often so the Holy Spirit can purify, polish and refill us. It is the only way to maintain our identity as salt and light to others.