Layout 1

In the verses above, Jesus referred to
salt and light as metaphors. In His time,
salt was used not only as seasoning, as it is
today, but also as a preservative. In biblical
times, people did not have refrigerators.
So, when they pulled fish from the lake,
they salted it to keep it from spoiling. Jesus
means for His people to salt the earth—to
bring flavor and preservation. In the
context of marriage and family, we see this
as meaning that Christians should
enhance the world by their presence. No
one is drawn to a joyless, sour, podium-
thumping Christian. We are drawn to
people who are energetic and positive in
their approach to life, who enrich the
world by being in it, and who seek to
preserve the values that keep the world
sane.
Jesus uses light to illustrate that
Christians are meant to be the light of the
world. They cannot just hold on to the
light themselves, keeping it hidden under
a basket. Light means nothing if it doesn’t
spill out into the dark. Light exposes
things that often take place only in the
dark. Light illuminates, clarifies, and levels
the playing field.
We can act as “salt and light” in the
world, transforming our culture so that it
comes to appreciate the significance of
family. Here are some examples of what
Christians can do:

Defuse Commodification

We can strive to defuse the

commodification of American life

(Balswick & Balswick, 1999). By living

more simply and refusing to accumulate

excess goods, individual families can avoid

the trap of being a slave to working

outside the home. Parents who spend less

time on the job can spend more time with

their families.

Encourage Family-Friendly Policies

We can encourage employers to

consider more family-friendly policies,

such as flexible schedules, more family

leave, and work-at-home options. Write

your senators and representatives about

this, suggesting tax breaks or other

benefits to companies who offer family-

friendly policies. These kinds of policies

enable parents to give their families the

attention they deserve.

Model a Covenant Marriage

Rather than seeing marriage as a legal

contract,couples can rediscover the idea of

covenant. In a covenant, the spouses view

marriage as mutual submission to God and

to one another.

The Future of the Family