Friday, August 6, 2010

Would You Like Salt With That?


"You are the salt of the earth."
Matthew 5:13

      I got to thinking about salt last week because it was mentioned in the scripture I focused on during my prayer time. Jesus used it as an example of how Christians should be in the world - salty. I asked myself why salt? Why something so common place? He could have said chili peppers or something with a little more pizazz...but no, he chose salt. It is one of the most basic ingredients in cooking, and for the most part, when it's forgotten the recipe can still turn out, but boy does my husband miss it when I forget to put it in! As a matter of fact, he salts his food before he even tastes it...just in case.

    If I forget pepper, garlic, or some other seasoning, it may be missed but not as much as salt. Salt is what brings out the flavor of food - enhances it. In the same way, I think Jesus wants us to be the salt of the world. To bring out the truth of His Word and enhance the lives of those around us with His love; adding flavor to their lives through sharing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. When salt is sprinkled on food, it's almost impossible to take it out, and when our lives sprinkle God's goodness on others, they can't easily remove the effects of it. Like it or not, they have been salted!

      The scripture goes on to say that we can lose our saltiness. While I thought about this, it occurred to me that the only way I know to make salt less salty is to water it down. Could Jesus be referring to us losing our saltiness when we become watered down with other things? When we have too many other ingredients filling up our lives and not enough salt to flavor it, or when we water down the Truth we speak so it doesn't offend the hearer? Are we allowing our shakers to become empty vessels? I'll leave you these questions to contemplate, and this one Jesus asked, "But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?" (v. 13)  He goes on to say, "It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."

      Perhaps my husband's habit of automatically adding salt isn't a bad idea (spiritually). When we go about our days, lets remember to leave a pinch of salt on every life we come in contact with, and season this world for our Lord - we are the salt of the earth!

26 comments:

  1. I like how you related salt to food and how we should be as Christians. =)

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  2. Like your statement "remember to leave a pinch of salt on every life we come in contact with". I've been called salty at times, does that count? :-)

    Really I do pray to leave love of God everywhere I go...

    Blessings,
    Linda J

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  3. Reminds me of Daddy putting salt on everything...even melon! Lord, make us salty!

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  4. Well done! I really enjoyed this post.

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  5. A great post. Thanks for reminding us of our duty to the world.

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  6. I was thinking of that same Scripture recently--about being the salt of the earth. Without followers of Christ, this world wouldn't be worth living in, so wicked would it be. Just as salt makes food enjoyable, so do Christians make our time on earth more pleasant.

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  7. That's a great reminder about salt in our life! Happy Spiritual Sunday!

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  8. Another wonderful post! I so look forward to your words! Salt is also highly important in preserving. Some times just going through our days can "drain" the saltiness right out of us. To get that back we must be in the word daily. Thank you so much! Can't wait to see what you have in the future. Blessing!

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  9. LOVE this post & love your blog. I came upon it thru Spiritual Sundays. Your pondering of 'why something so commonplace' I think is quite legitimate. And what settled in my spirit immediately was 'because we are all so common'. Each of us is common & that allows us to flavor the rest of this common world!

    Loved what Monica said about getting in the Word for preservation's sake!

    I am so glad I found you here in blogland & look forward to following. I invite you to visit mine as well & follow. And I welcome your comments always!

    Blessings ~ Merana

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  10. Amen!!I like this post very much...so true.
    Sweet Blessings,
    Virginia

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  11. I will look at salt different for now on. Thank-you for this analogy it's great.
    Blessings,
    Ginger

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  12. We had a friend who also added salt to everything before he even tasted it. I thought that was odd. Salt is so so so important. Most things are just so "flat" without it. We certainly need to be salt in this world. Thank you for this good reminder.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

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  13. Charlotte - I love this post. I've never thought about it, but yes, we can leave the other spices out of dishes and it isn't missed nearly as much as salt. I also like the statement about leaving a pinch of salt on those we come in contact with.

    Have a blessed weekend.

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  14. Hi, Terrific points and analogy - some old friends, some very new and intriguing. Have a blessed week :)

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  15. What great insight into Scripture! Thank you for this.

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  16. Goodness, so very true for us...great analogy...Great post.

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  17. Great post...to be an enhancement in the lives of others is such a worthy goal. Patty

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  18. Beautifu words! And I'm one of those habitual salters.
    I"m now a follower.
    Blessings, dear friend.
    Weezer
    http://weezershaven.blogspot.com

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  19. Left a comment yesterday but this morning I just wanted to come by to say thank you. Thank you for the encouraging words you left on my post last night. Would we not be surprised if only we knew the seemly small things God uses through our witness?

    Blessings,
    Linda J

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  20. I'm glad he used salt as the example, too. I can so relate to that! Blessings to you.

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  21. I love tying the spiritual to our daily lives. I'll never look at a salt shaker the same again.

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  22. What a wonderful post. I've never quite thought of it that way before... leaving a pinch salt on those we come in contact with. It's very true!! I'm so happy I found your blog!

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  23. and we don't have to POUR it on.
    sometimes just a sprinkling makes
    all the difference.

    great word!

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  24. Such a wonderful analogy Charlotte! So glad I found you through "A Pause On The Path"! :-)

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