Jesus is the Answer to the Question – ‘When the pillars of Justice collapse, what can the upright person do?’

A Question – “When the pillars of justice collapse, what can the upright person (tzaddik) do?”

Psalm 11. At first reading, David’s psalm here might seem to be a psalm for our time. But then when we consider the history of humanity and the rising and falling of nations and kingdoms of men, David here is speaking for all times. David has the moral authority to write this psalm, because he has experienced the foundations of Israel being dismantled as Saul sought his death. And then there were not only neighboring nations constantly hounding him, but also the blatant rebellion and attempted coup led by his own son Absalom. David knows what it looks like when systems of justice and moral order seem to be crumbling.

Tzaddik: The Hebrew word in this verse for the righteous person, the just person, is the classic description of the Hebrew Bible’s upright person who lovingly does God’s will. According to rabbinic sources, the biblical tzaddik is not necessarily a saint or a miracle worker, but instead is first recognized by his/her ethical purity and righteousness guided by extraordinary generosity and selflessness. The tzaddik is first defined by his/her humility while demonstrating kindness to the poor and needy. Early rabbinic descriptions include noting that tzaddiks are those who “are known only by the fine aroma of goodness that they leave in their wake.”

Many Versions. There are many interesting ways that Psalm 11:3 has been translated: “If the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” “If the principles of justice are crumbling, what can the just person do?” “When society’s pillars are being dismantled, what can a righteous person possibly accomplish?”  “When law and order are being destroyed, what can godly people do?” “If the foundations are crumbling, is there hope for the righteous?” “What can the just person hope to accomplish when the pillars of truth are being torn down?” “The moral supports You created are being torn down, so what has the Righteous One done?” “When everything foundational in our world is coming to ruin, what can the upright do?”

Complete Trust in the Lord. In Ps. 11, David confirms his compete trust in God even during his tumultuous times on the run and under pressure from all sides. He calls the Lord his refuge, his fortress, his hiding place. Instead of flying to the mountains for safety, he runs into the shelter of God and trusts Him to take care of all this instability that surrounds him. In v. 4 David says that he firmly believes in God’s ability to watch over everything that goes on, that God is not missing a thing as He probes into the crisis David is experiencing. David believes that the Lord is always in the process of discerning good from evil, and preparing for justice to be accomplished from His throne in “His holy palace.” David knows that judgment is coming from the Lord’s hand for those who deserve it, and there is ultimate justice in the universe through God.

David’s Conclusion. David’s song of trust in the Lord closes with a strong statement of faith in Him. “The Eternal Lord is righteous in all His ways and loves what is just; He cherishes all those who are upright, and just, and righteous. Those who are virtuous and do what is right in His eyes will come into His presence and gaze upon His face.” (Ps. 11:7).

Confirmed in Another Psalm. David had an unyielding, stubborn faith in God, because He believed that the Lord was the ultimate steadying force in the world, even when life seemed to be unraveling before him. Psalm 75:3 proclaims this very truth in the words of the Lord: “When the earth seems to be spinning into chaos and its people live in turmoil, I am the One who holds the support-pillars firm and keeps its foundations steady and stable.”

The One Eternal Fixture. There is one steady foundation in the universe even when earth’s foundations seem to be crumbling. There is one fixed pillar holding up the world that will never fall or crumble… His Word. “I’ve known all along from the evidence of Your words that you meant them to last forever. I have known your instructions that have passed the tests of time, and I realize that You have founded them to endure for all eternity.” (Psalm 119:152); “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8).  Jesus clearly affirmed this truth in Luke 21:33: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. The whole world may wear out and disappear, but not my words. They will never disappear or wear out. My word will not come to an end and will forever remain unchanged.”

Salt and Light. So back to the original question above… What should believers do when morality and justice seem to be breaking down in our culture? Not surprised by what could happen in a fallen world, Jesus instructs His followers to be salt and light:

Be Salty. “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13). Here’s a quick overview of what it means to be the salt of the earth:

1. A Preservative. Salt preserves meat and keeps rottenness from spreading to spoil all the meat. Christians are called to preserve a dying culture; to bring health and goodness to society to help it flourish; to prevent sin from spreading its rotting influence.
2. Enhance Flavor. Salt enhances the flavor of food, makes it edible in some cases. Salt brings out good tastes through its seasonings. So, Christians are called to bring put the best in people; to add zest and zip to life with others; to add liveliness to people and culture. “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?” (Eugene Peterson).
3. Direct Contact. Salt only works well when in direct contact with food, when mixed right into the food. Christians operate best when directly mixing with society and personally present with this world. Believers need to be in direct contact with the world, ground into life, into the mix of people and circumstance, instead of neglecting, avoiding or being fearful of the world. Believers must be comfortable escaping the salt shaker.
4. A Healing Presence. Salt is used as a healing agent, especially when mixed with water, and treats everything from sore throats to stings to toothaches. Christians are called to be a healing force in this world, applying the Spirit of Christ to troubled, broken or wounded people and relationships. Christians are called to promote human flourishing, wholeness and vitality.
5. Common. Salt is literally earthy, down to earth, common, close to the ground. Likewise, Christians are most effective when not sanctimonious, holier than thou, think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but instead identify with the needs and joys of common humanity.
6. An Example of Purity. Salt is mentioned in the Old Testament many times as  a symbol of purity ( 30:35; 2 Kings 2:19-22; Ezek. 16:4). So Christians are intended to be reflective of God’s purity, so others in the world can at least get a glimpse of God’s character and goodness. The pure in heart are blessed by God and are a blessing to others. “Purity of heart is to will one thing.” (Kierkegaard).
7. Wisdom. In Jesus’ day, people would put salt on the wick of a lamp, because it would increase the light’s brightness. Rabbinical literature equates salt with wisdom. So, when we Christians apply the salt of wisdom to our lives, our little lights shine even brighter. (TPT).
8. Make Others Thirsty for God. Salt creates thirst, and makes people develop a desire for water. A Christian’s goodness inspires others to become good themselves, and actually makes goodness attractive, not repugnant. True goodness  is salty, and makes others desire the spiritual refreshment of the “living water.”
9. A Healthy Presence. Salt is necessary for our physical health, is found in our blood, and is needed for healthy cell development. Christians are needed to maintain the spiritual health of a society, a community, a family, an individual. Human structures depend on the salt of the Christian faith in action.
10. Stay Salty. Salt is worthless if it loses its saltiness, its reason for being. The Christian life is futile, empty and worthless if it loses its fruitfulness. Christians are called to bear fruit.
11. Imperfectly Useful to God. Salt is crude, unrefined when harvested. Christians are not perfect, polished or successful in the world’s eyes, and are still useful for God’s purposes.
12. Small but Powerful. Only a little bit of salt affects a large amount of food. Only a small handful of Christians can make a big difference in the world.
13. A Stinging Healer. Salt causes stinging when used as a healing and cleaning agent. Sometimes speaking the truth in love may hurt or sting, but it will eventually bring health.
14. Melting the Hardness. Salt can gradually melt hardened ice. When the salt of love is applied with patience and faith, even the hardest of hearts and most stubborn of minds can be softened.
15. Peacemakers. Salt absorbs heat from surrounding objects and thus can seal up cracks in hard surfaces. In the Old Testament times, salt is used in a covenant ceremony between warring families or people. Salt was used to seal the promise of peace. Christians are called to be peacemakers, sealing up the cracks in relationships.
16. Simple and Natural. Salt is most useful when serving its natural purposes. Christians are most effective when simply living the Christian life, following Jesus in word and deed, and being salty, not spectacular. “The serene beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world next to the might of God.” (Pascal).

Salty Speech. “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.”  (Colossians 4:6, NRSV). We are instructed generally to be the salt of the earth, but we are also told more specifically to speak in a salty manner. Our speech seasoned with salt? What does that mean?

1. Let your speech be seasoned with wisdom. Biblical scholarship refers to all the rabbinic literature which equates salt with wisdom. Salt, like wisdom, is something that can be tangibly applied in countless ways to everyday life. An application of salt, like wisdom, is usually helpful and practical and useful. Wise words in a conversation would helpfully guide the interaction, adding insight, understanding, and useful direction.  St. James describes a wise conversation seasoned with salt like this: “But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form; and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness! (James 3:17, TPT).
2. Let your conversation be seasoned with wit. The translators of the New Jerusalem Bible point out that it was a common Greek cliche at that time to use the phrase “season with salt” when speaking of adding wit to a conversation. In a civilized discussion, season it with salt, make the interaction interesting, be witty, make it memorable with clever word play and turns of phrase. Spice up your conversation with nimble thinking, especially about the Faith. Unbelievers will appreciate and remember clever discourse when it comes to discussing your beliefs. In your conversation with outsiders, pretend you are offering a tasty meal with many flavors that would attract the unbeliever. “Winsome words spoken at just the right time are as appealing as apples gilded in gold and surrounded in silver.” (Proverbs 25:11).
3.  Let your speech be seasoned with a preservative. In the ancient world, salt was useful as a preservative to keep fresh meat from rotting. Salt was ground into the meat to prevent spoiling. Conversations need to be seasoned with salt so as to apply fresh, life-giving words to the interaction. Sinful words have a way of rotting the mind and the spirit. Godly words and attitude in a discussion can preserve the life of Christ to someone dying because of the world’s tendency to rot and spoil. Words seasoned with a salt can preserve goodness and health, and help the other person to flourish. Salty words with others prevent sin from having a rotting influence. “The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.” (Proverbs 10:21).
4. Let your conversation consist of words of healing. Salt has been used as a healing agent since ancient times, especially when mixed with water and applied to cuts and scrapes and open sores in the mouth. Sometimes conversations are in need of words of healing. A healing word of Christ can be included in any discussion with another, when a troubled or wounded person is your focus. Healing words promote wholeness that may lead to flourishing. Words seasoned with salt may sting, but when the truth is spoken with love, healing will come.  “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24). “When you speak healing words, you offer others fruit from the tree of life.” (Proverbs 15:4).
5. Let your speech be seasoned with purity. In the Hebrew Bible, salt often represented purity. When Yahweh instructed Moses with His special blend of fragrant spices for the holy incense, Moses was told to mix salt into the incense. “It is to be salted and pure and sacred.” (Ex. 30:35). A conversation seasoned with salt will enjoy an infusion of pure language that points to God’s character and goodness. Purity of speech reflects purity of heart, and impure language reflects a sullied heart.  “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk ever come out of your mouth; but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace to those who hear it.” (Ephesians 4:29, AMPLIFIED).  “A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom; a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.” (Proverbs 10:32).
6. Let your conversation be filled with words of peace.  In the Hebrew Bible, salt was a crucial aspect of the sacrificial system as established through Moses. In this process of establishing God’s covenant with His people, many offerings were to be heavily salted. Salt became the symbol for the promise of faithfulness in their divine agreement of peace, so much so that it was called the “salt of the covenant.” Since salt was often connected to the idea of permanence, the salt of the covenant came to emphasize the permanent nature of the peace between God and the people. Salt was also used in a typical peace-making ceremony between warring families or tribes. So salt came to be a seal of the promise of peace where there could be conflict. James referred to this meaning of salt in Mark 9:20, where he quoted Jesus as saying: “Have salt within yourselves, and be at peace with one another.“

When we are advised by St. Paul to season our conversations with salt, it’s clear we have to carefully consider conducting godly interactions with others. Our conversations need to be seasoned with wisdom and wit, used as a preservative, using pure words that promote healing and peace. Let us learn how to season our speech with salt in all its glory. “The quiet words of the wise are more effective than the shouting of a king of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 9:17).

Be A Light in the Darkness. “I AM the light of the world;” “You are the light of the world.” (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14). Along with being the salt of the earth, Jesus instructed us to be lights in the world. As light-bearers, we are called to walk as Jesus walked, to let our little light shine. We are called to add God’s light of truth and knowledge to the world, to enable God’s light in each of us to replace whatever darkness there might be around us. But how does our light-walk begin? In the Orthodox Church, baptism is known as the sacrament of Illumination. It is the time we are brought into the light. Baptism is the time when the new day dawns, and we start a new life. Baptism is when we put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12). When we are baptized, Christ shines His light on us, and we are called to walk in the light. Beginning with our baptism into the Triune God, we are called to be children of the light (Eph. 5:8). The love from God that has been ours since before we were conceived comes to us at the speed of light in baptism. Love at the speed of light. Light moves at 186,000 miles per second. Another way to put it, light travels at 670 million miles an hour, fast enough to go around the earth seven and a half times in one second. At baptism, love speeds towards us in this process of illumination, as fast and sure as God wills to make it. At the speed of light.

Light’s Uses. How do we become children of the light and thus lights in the world? Not so we can shine like a light bulb, but so we can do what light does… heal wounds, reveal truth, warm what is cold, sustain life, show the way, dispel darkness, clean out impurities, and clarify one’s vision. Light’s properties are needed in the world, and we need to let our little light shine.

Living as a Light. How can we live into the light in us, becoming healers, revealers, sustainers, purifiers and dispellers? How can we show the way, for ourselves and others? What do we need to do to show forth our imbedded light that has as its source God’s light, taking seriously Paul’s words in Eph. 5:8: “You are light in the Lord”? Here are three ways to walk as a child of the light:

1. Follow Jesus. First and foremost, follow Him who is “light from light, true God from true God.” Unite with “the Son who is the radiance of God’s glory. ( 1:3). Accept Jesus Christ, who said “I am the light of the world. No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness. No, he shall possess the light of life.” (John 8:12). The more like Jesus we become, transformed through His Spirit, the more like a window we become, transparent, revealing His light in us, uncovering His radiance, His truth, goodness and beauty. Shine the light of Jesus, and we will become the children of the light. “Look to the Lord, and be radiant.” (Ps. 34:5).
2. Grow in Goodness. How can we show God’s light? By learning to be good, by reflecting God’s own goodness. “Listen, you lovers of God! Hate evil, for God can keep you from wrong and protect you from the power of wickedness. For he sows seeds of light within his lovers.” ( 97:10-11). Deeds of goodness brings the spotlight to the Giver of light. “So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.” (Matt.5:16). Let Jesus, your light within you, shine brighter and brighter as you grow in goodness, in purity, in righteousness. And love shines the brightest light. As has been said, Jesus is Love that comes at the speed of light. “The person who continues in the light is the one who loves his brother.” (1 John 2:10).
3. Grow in Wisdom. Light and truth were seen as synonymous in the Hebrew mind. Wisdom is walking in the light of truth. Wisdom is living skillfully, with discernment and understanding. Wisdom is learning God’s mind and living in light of that, making decisions in concert with God’s will. The very nature of light is that it is active, it is doing something. Wisdom is essentially truth-in-action. “Wisdom brightens a person’s face, it makes his face shine.” (8:1). The wiser a person, the brighter the light, the more is revealed of God’s light within. In fact, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Dan. 12:3). Walk in wisdom, and let your light shine.

Robert Louis Stevenson is a renowned author who wrote many classics, such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and A Child’s Garden of Verses. When he was a child, he loved watching a nightly event through his bedroom window: the neighborhood lamplighter would walk along the street, lighting all the corner street lamps with his pole-torch. One night his parents asked him what he was so interested in outside on the street. And young Stevenson said he was “watching a man make holes in the darkness.” When we shine God’s light, we make holes in the darkness of the world. The darkness can never overcome the light of Jesus, the light of goodness, and the light of wisdom.

What Can Believers Do? So when society’s foundation seems to be tottering and crumbling, we who follow God are instructed in Scripture to trust in His presence by running into Him for a refuge, a fortress, a hiding place. We are to trust and live into God’s Word as the one eternal fixed foundation in the universe that will never collapse or be torn down. We are to remain as salt of the earth and lights of the world. When godly authority seems to be in the process of being torn down, believers are not hapless or hopeless. The ultimate Godly authority is eternal and will hold steady no matter what happens.