JANUARY: SALT OF THE EARTH; LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Look Closer: Does Jesus really mean that we are literally salt and light? No. And metaphor is impossible for most young children to grasp. So to get a handle on this important teaching of Jesus, we suggest that this month caregivers help children start to wonder at the power of salt and light. Jesus gives us the power to bring change, just like salt and light can. How can households discover and harness their saltiness, their light, to infiltrate the world with God’s love?
Spiral Deeper: This passage is part of what we know as the “Sermon on the Mount.” Toward the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went up a mountain, much like his ancestor Moses, and the crowds followed him. There on the mountainside, Jesus opened the scriptures for the people.
Here are some things to think about:
Christians through the years have often been tempted to say that Jesus contradicts the teachings of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). But actually, Jesus is constantly quoting scripture. He takes what is already there and interprets it. He shines a light on it and brings out its saltiness. We see a lot of that in the Sermon on the Mount. Use a study Bible to do some cross-referencing and find the scripture Jesus is quoting.
Spiral Deeper: This passage is part of what we know as the “Sermon on the Mount.” Toward the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went up a mountain, much like his ancestor Moses, and the crowds followed him. There on the mountainside, Jesus opened the scriptures for the people.
Here are some things to think about:
Christians through the years have often been tempted to say that Jesus contradicts the teachings of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). But actually, Jesus is constantly quoting scripture. He takes what is already there and interprets it. He shines a light on it and brings out its saltiness. We see a lot of that in the Sermon on the Mount. Use a study Bible to do some cross-referencing and find the scripture Jesus is quoting.
- All of these teachings are about a way of being. It’s not a list of rules or life lessons - Jesus describes a whole-life orientation towards the love of God. Musician Jonathan Rhuel describes it as “life inside the blessing.” This way of being was different from the surrounding culture in Jesus’ time, and it’s different for us now. If we really take these teachings to heart, we’ll find ourselves taking a second look at the consumerism and individualism that is deeply embedded in North American culture.
- Salt is a common metaphor in the Bible, probably because, like now, it was such a common staple in life. Salt is useful. It causes reactions, enhances taste, and purifies, among other things. Look through your Bible and see where else you can find this metaphor.
- Light is another common metaphor. Read John 1, and you’ll see that Jesus himself is called the Light of the World. When you really think about it, it’s quite humbling that Jesus calls the people the light of the world, too.
Read It Matthew 5:13-16
13 “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 underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Pray It
Jesus, light and salt are so interesting and powerful. It’s amazing that you say we are kind of like them, making things happen! Help us be salty. Fill us with your light. Amen.
Jesus, light and salt are so interesting and powerful. It’s amazing that you say we are kind of like them, making things happen! Help us be salty. Fill us with your light. Amen.
Do It
Do It: Discover the mystery and power of salt and light!
Do It: Discover the mystery and power of salt and light!
- Salt Play: Salt is effective stuff! And a little goes a long way. Choose one or two of these salt experiments that can work well in your household.
- Salt Painting - See how the salt brings out the color. It brings things to life!
- Desalinization - Notice how hard it is to get the salt out. And that the salt has to go somewhere! Salt can’t actually lose its saltiness…
- Ice Cream in a Bag - Salt interacts with other elements (like frozen water) to do surprising things.
- Cleaning Pennies - Salt plus acidity acts as a cleaning solution. Stir about 1 teaspoon of salt in ¼ cup of vinegar. Drop pennies into solution and let set several minutes. Remove pennies and wipe with paper towel or cloth. See how much brighter they look?! Repeat to make them even shinier.
- Light Play:
- Creating Rainbows - Rainbows, which in Christianity represent God’s promise of unconditional love, are created by light.
- Bouncing Light (Mirrors) - Mirrors work because of bouncing light. Mirror play can be great fun for young children.
Explore it: A Note from Tami
We probably use metaphors and similes more than we realize. Have you ever told your child, “You’re the apple of my eye” or “you are warm as a bug in a rug” or similar comments? She might look at you with a confused expression at first. Yet, children also come up with interesting ones themselves. An example is when my daughter had a terrific tummy ache one night and stated that “My tummy feels like a rotten tomato with a tight belt around it.”
Talashia’s statement that “metaphor is impossible for most young children to grasp” is spot on. In some ways this scripture is more directly applicable to our understandings and reflections as adults. However, salt and light experiments are enjoyable for children. The youngest ones will enjoy the process though they may not grasp all of the scientific concepts as well as older children do. AND, we can help them gain some understanding by helping them see what the salt or light does and making simple statements such as “See how the salt helps spread the color?” or “That salt really changed the way the pennies looked.” or “The light helped make those beautiful colors.” Then, help them make the connection through a comment such as “That’s kind of like how you make your baby brother smile when you sing to him.”
If you want to dig deeper into understanding your child’s thought patterns and understanding of metaphor, read The Magic of Metaphor: What Children's Minds Reveal about the Evolution of the Imagination
We probably use metaphors and similes more than we realize. Have you ever told your child, “You’re the apple of my eye” or “you are warm as a bug in a rug” or similar comments? She might look at you with a confused expression at first. Yet, children also come up with interesting ones themselves. An example is when my daughter had a terrific tummy ache one night and stated that “My tummy feels like a rotten tomato with a tight belt around it.”
Talashia’s statement that “metaphor is impossible for most young children to grasp” is spot on. In some ways this scripture is more directly applicable to our understandings and reflections as adults. However, salt and light experiments are enjoyable for children. The youngest ones will enjoy the process though they may not grasp all of the scientific concepts as well as older children do. AND, we can help them gain some understanding by helping them see what the salt or light does and making simple statements such as “See how the salt helps spread the color?” or “That salt really changed the way the pennies looked.” or “The light helped make those beautiful colors.” Then, help them make the connection through a comment such as “That’s kind of like how you make your baby brother smile when you sing to him.”
If you want to dig deeper into understanding your child’s thought patterns and understanding of metaphor, read The Magic of Metaphor: What Children's Minds Reveal about the Evolution of the Imagination
