By 
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes His followers as the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world". The very first stop on our tour of Galilee is the grassy hill that has been established as the probable location of these teachings of Jesus, beginning with the Beatitudes and continuing with many memorable sayings.
For instance, Jesus said: “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” (Matthew 5:13, NIV).
My favorite takeaway from this beautiful and peaceful spot overlooking the Sea of Galilee is a new understanding of how the first century woman used salt. According to our tour director, she tied a little salt up in a bag and put the bag in the pot, using it over and over until its savor was gone. Then the grains of sand and other debris left in the bag were thrown onto the floor to be stomped into the dirt, to make the floor or patio hard and dry.
Salt in solution is invisible, but it changes its environment. It enhances and improves. It heals and preserves.
Jesus also said: “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” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV). He could actually point to a city on a hill not far from the place where He was teaching.
We learn from our Israeli guide that the Palestinians build flat-topped houses halfway down a slope for protection from the weather and heat. The Israelis build on top of the hill for strategic purposes, and they tile their roofs. As we drive along, we can determine whether it is a Palestinian village or a Jewish one by where it is located and the kinds of roofs that are used. Jesus' point is that you cannot hide a city on a hill, nor should you hide the "light" from the world.
Light is a visible force. It reveals, exposes, and clarifies its environment.
The lesson for me is that we are both a visible and invisible influence in our world. As followers of Christ, it should be our nature to enhance what is good and reveal what is dark. It will be our responsibility to keep our saltiness by being life learners, and to keep our lamp ready through prayer and devotion.
The metaphor of salt and light continues to color our understanding as we drive down the Jordan River Valley to the barren area of the Dead Sea. To the right are the ruins of the Qumran Community. Historians believe that this village was populated by a separatist group known as the Essenes. This sect of Judaism was made up of devout followers of the Law, many of them scribes and Levites who felt that the temple worship in Jerusalem had been corrupted by the collaboration of the priesthood with Roman rule. They believed that when Messiah came, they would be the Soldiers of Light who would bring in the kingdom of God. What they did not realize was that the real "light", of which they were warriors, was the Torah scrolls they fastidiously copied, stored, and hid in caves. Qumran would be destroyed and its residents killed or enslaved in 70 A.D. by the Roman army but their work, the Dead Sea Scrolls, would resurface in the early 20th century at just the right time to undergird the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures.
As we look to the left, the symbolism of salt stuns our imagination. The Jews revere "living water" by which they mean "moving" water. At the Dead Sea, we see water that does not move. It does not go anywhere. It just evaporates and leaves behind its salty residue in which nothing alive can survive. There are places on this sea where the fumes rising off the water can even kill a man.
A little salt flavors; too much salt in one place kills. Perhaps this is why, in God's story, we often see Him scattering the flock. For the 21st century Christian, it may be that God is not so much scattering us as He is scattering the nations among us. We reflect on our tendencies to huddle up in safe places and are reminded that we are to be a little "salt" and a shining "light".
Linda Williamson
Linda Williamson is a long time Womenary student and a recent board member. She has a passion for the Word of God, both to learn it and to teach others to love it. She has taught a Sunday School Class at Colonial Hills Baptist Church for twenty years, worked in the BSF school program five years and prior to moving to Tyler, enjoyed being a Precept Bible Study Leader. Womenary is her Seminary. She is grateful for the opportunity to take advantage of theology classes conveniently located and reasonably priced. It is her heart’s desire as a teacher to “accurately handle the word of truth…”. (1 Tim. 2:15) 
