Still Salty, Still Shining (With a Bit of Holy Trouble) by David Angus 8th February 2026

Still Salty, Still Shining (With a Bit of Holy Trouble)

Matthew 5:13–16

Jesus has a way of sneaking up on us. He looks out at a crowd of perfectly ordinary people—people with sore backs, complicated families, and strong opinions about how things are- and used to be—and he says: 

“You are the salt of the earth.

You are the light of the world.” 

Not you might be.

Not once upon a time you were.

But you are. 

Which is both a comfort… and, if we’re honest,… a little alarming. 

Because salt, you see, is useless if it stays in the shaker. It’s Very tidy on the shelf. Very polite. But completely irrelevant. And Jesus has absolutely no interest in polite irrelevance. 

Salt exists to be scattered. And yes—sometimes it gets rubbed into places we would rather not talk about. (Have you ever put salt on a wound? Not exactly a warm relaxing experience.) But it heals. It preserves. It tells the truth about what is happening before decay sets in. 

Phrases about salt have entered our everyday language.  People are described as “Salt of the earth” – what does this mean? (according to google). Salt of the earth people are:

•         Honest and Reliable: They are dependable, and often described as genuine and straightforward.

•         Humble and Down-to-Earth: They are not pretentious- they don’t think they are special or better than anyone else.

•         Strong Moral Fiber: They are often seen as "pure" or good. ( having a sound, moral character)

•         Hardworking: salt of the earth people have a strong work ethic, often from the working class.

•         Kind and Helpful:  salt of the earth people are often caring, loyal, and willing to help others in time of need. 

And light—ah! Light is even more troublesome.  

Light exposes things. Have you ever looked towards a window and seen dust in the air? That pile of dust in the corner we were hoping no one would notice. Light does not come to flatter us. It comes to free us. 

You see, for some of us- there is a lie floating around our culture. It says:

“At a certain age, you step aside. You become quieter. You stop stirring the pot and making trouble.” 

But the gospel says something quite different. 

The gospel says: those who have walked longest with God are often the most dangerous— dangerous to the unjust, to the cruel, to those peddling despair. 

Why? 

Because you have seen promises broken and still chosen hope.
You have buried loved ones and still chosen love.
You have seen the world wobble in turmoil and still get up in the morning. 

Having lived and experienced life- does not qualify you to retire in a life of faith- it is not retirement material. It is actually prophetic training. We are all being trained as ‘prophets’ to the world we live in. 

Let’s be clear—Jesus does not call us salt - so that we can make peace with blandness, to be bland in this world. Jesus does not call us light so that we can politely dim ourselves for the comfort of others. 

If our faith never irritates anyone, we may want to check whether it has any flavour left. 

Now, I know—some of us may say, “But I am tired.”
And God says, “Then sit down—and shine anyway.” 

Some of us may say, “I don’t recognize the world anymore.”
And God says, “Good. That means you remember how it ought to be.” 

Your light does not have to be loud. It does not have to be trendy.
Your light shines when you refuse to harden your heart.

When you tell the truth kindly
When you say, “This is not who we are,” and mean it. 

And yes—sometimes being salt and light will make you unpopular. But remember: Jesus was not crucified for being vaguely pleasant. 

He was crucified because light walked straight into the darkness and refused to apologize. 

So, friends, do not hide your light under nostalgia. Do not tuck your salt away for special occasions. This world is hungry. Our world is stumbling around in the dark. And God, in a fit of divine confidence, has decided to use us- each of us. 

Which just proves that God has a wonderful sense of humour. 

There are so many in the bible and human history who gave their best when they were old: 

Biblical Examples

•         Abraham: Embarked on a new journey of faith at age 75 and became a father at 100.

•         Moses: Called by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt at 80 years old.

•         Anna and Simeon: Elderly individuals who worshipped in the Temple and recognized the infant Jesus as the Messiah, with Anna fasting and praying for decades.

•         The Apostle John: Outlived the other apostles, serving as a leader and writing the Book of Revelation in his old age. 

Historical and Early Church Figures

•         Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69–155 AD): A disciple of the apostle John, he was martyred at age 86. He is remembered for his unwavering faith and kindness to his captors in his final hours.

•         John Chrysostom (c. 347–407 AD): Known as "golden-mouthed" for his powerful preaching, he continued to fearlessly speak truth to power in his older years.

•         John Newton (1725–1807): The author of "Amazing Grace" continued to preach and marvel at God's grace well into his old age, long after his time as a slave ship captain. 

Modern Era (19th–21st Century)

•         Billy Graham (1918–2018): Preached to millions globally for over four decades, continuing his ministry and influence well into his 90s.

•         Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983): After surviving a Nazi concentration camp, she traveled the world in her later years to share messages of forgiveness and God's love.

•         George Müller (1805–1898): Ran orphanages in England for 10,000 children, relying on faith and prayer for funding, and continued traveling to preach in his 70s and 80s.

•         Mother Teresa (1910–1997): Founded the Missionaries of Charity and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 at age 69, continuing her work with the poor until her death.

•         Dr. Catherine Hamlin an Australian Anglican doctor who worked as a doctor in Ethiopia confronting the practice of marrying teenage girls. Who trained medicos to repair the resulting fistulas which came about from having babies when they were too young. Cath and I heard her speak and she was well into her 80’s and still going strong. 

And so many from our own parish who have been salt and light and ministering God’s love in their later years. We remember Lyn Watt, Barry Campie and Dell Ezzy. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light which cannot be hid.

Closing Blessing 

And now, may the God who calls you salt give you courage to be flavourful.
May the God who calls you light give you joy in shining—especially where it is needed most.
May your wisdom refuse to be silent.
May your compassion refuse to grow tired.
May your laughter confuse the powers of despair.
And when the world tells us that our time has passed,
may we hear God laughing gently and saying,
“Oh no, my dear—we are not finished yet.”

Go in peace.
Go in hope.
Go and shine.

Amen.