Jesus was painting a picture of what you and I should be when he said you are the salt of the earth. Salt is common. It can be found everywhere. But this common salt touches our life in very special ways. In the same way Jesus wants us to be.
Salt Gives Taste
Salt gives taste. It doesn’t take much to add taste. Often when it is in the right proportion we just enjoy the food. But when it is absent or in excess we know it and protest immediately.
So the challenge is to add taste without calling attention to oneself. That is difficult. For naturally we seek attention. But being the salt of the earth requires meekness and the willingness to take second place.
Salt giving taste also means that people will find us easy to mingle with, to trust us with their confidence, and to find encouragement just by our presence. There will be a certain joy in the minds of our family, friends, colleagues, and those who come in contact with us when they meet and interact with us.
This can happen not by being an imposing personality but by being inspiring with a humane touch.
Salt Preserves
Salt preserves. It is mixed in food to keep it without getting spoiled for a long time. As we look around us there is a decay in moral values. Staying true to biblical values and right principles is no longer popular.
The challenge is to remain true to what is good, noble, and holy without being discouraged by the example of your friends who do otherwise.
Danger of Losing Your Saltiness
Even though salt preserves other substances it has to guard its own nature. For there is danger of it losing its saltiness. Jesus warned about it. And when that happens it cannot be made salty again. It is thrown outside and trampled underfoot.
It tells us the importance of guarding what God has given us with care. Like a lighted lamp needs a supply of oil to keep burning; you also need watchfulness on your part not to lose your saltiness.
It implies a certain separation from the trends and fashions of this world. To keep yourself pure in your thinking, in your speech, and in your action from corrupting influences.
Have Salt in Your Conversations
Let us have a look at our conversations. The Bible asks us to have our conversation seasoned with salt. In simple words, we need to speak with respect, try to appreciate people, build them up and encourage them with our words.
We should not tear down, belittle, or diminish people with our words. Instead we should make it a habit to speak words of hope. Then our conversations will carry a salt-like influence.
You can refuse to listen when your colleagues or friends speak unkind words of criticism about others, gossip about others to you, slander the character of others and so on. This is one practical way to have the purifying influence of salt in yourselves.
Salt in Your Worship and Relationship with God
See, salt was used along with sacrifices. It reminds us of our relationship with God. It reminds us that we should worship God without hypocrisy. It reminds us that we should be honest with God with truth in our hearts.
The absence of salt in our lives is felt like food that lacks flavour or tasteless like the white of an egg. Having salt in oneself means that we are called to maintain a continual personal relationship with God and peace with others. Then others will be able to get a taste of the salt in us.
Takeaway: The Challenge for You To Be the Salt of the Earth
We use salt every day without thinking much about it. But Jesus used this everyday salt to challenge us to make our lives have a purifying, preserving, permanent, and positive influence.
It cannot be done by our strength. So let us ask God to help us be the salt of the earth.
Jesus was painting a picture of what you and I should be when he said you are the salt of the earth. Salt is common. It can be found everywhere. But this common salt touches our life in very special ways. In the same way Jesus wants us to be.
Salt Gives Taste
Salt gives taste. It doesn’t take much to add taste. Often when it is in the right proportion we just enjoy the food. But when it is absent or in excess we know it and protest immediately.
So the challenge is to add taste without calling attention to oneself. That is difficult. For naturally we seek attention. But being the salt of the earth requires meekness and the willingness to take second place.
Salt giving taste also means that people will find us easy to mingle with, to trust us with their confidence, and to find encouragement just by our presence. There will be a certain joy in the minds of our family, friends, colleagues, and those who come in contact with us when they meet and interact with us.
This can happen not by being an imposing personality but by being inspiring with a humane touch.
Salt Preserves
Salt preserves. It is mixed in food to keep it without getting spoiled for a long time. As we look around us there is a decay in moral values. Staying true to biblical values and right principles is no longer popular.
The challenge is to remain true to what is good, noble, and holy without being discouraged by the example of your friends who do otherwise.
Danger of Losing Your Saltiness
Even though salt preserves other substances it has to guard its own nature. For there is danger of it losing its saltiness. Jesus warned about it. And when that happens it cannot be made salty again. It is thrown outside and trampled underfoot.
It tells us the importance of guarding what God has given us with care. Like a lighted lamp needs a supply of oil to keep burning; you also need watchfulness on your part not to lose your saltiness.
It implies a certain separation from the trends and fashions of this world. To keep yourself pure in your thinking, in your speech, and in your action from corrupting influences.
Have Salt in Your Conversations
Let us have a look at our conversations. The Bible asks us to have our conversation seasoned with salt. In simple words, we need to speak with respect, try to appreciate people, build them up and encourage them with our words.
We should not tear down, belittle, or diminish people with our words. Instead we should make it a habit to speak words of hope. Then our conversations will carry a salt-like influence.
You can refuse to listen when your colleagues or friends speak unkind words of criticism about others, gossip about others to you, slander the character of others and so on. This is one practical way to have the purifying influence of salt in yourselves.
Salt in Your Worship and Relationship with God
See, salt was used along with sacrifices. It reminds us of our relationship with God. It reminds us that we should worship God without hypocrisy. It reminds us that we should be honest with God with truth in our hearts.
The absence of salt in our lives is felt like food that lacks flavour or tasteless like the white of an egg. Having salt in oneself means that we are called to maintain a continual personal relationship with God and peace with others. Then others will be able to get a taste of the salt in us.
Takeaway: The Challenge for You To Be the Salt of the Earth
We use salt every day without thinking much about it. But Jesus used this everyday salt to challenge us to make our lives have a purifying, preserving, permanent, and positive influence.
It cannot be done by our strength. So let us ask God to help us be the salt of the earth.
Photo by Emmy Smith on Unsplash