Salt

"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned?"  
                                                                                   Matthew 5:13.  NKJV

Salt was connected to purity. Therefore, if Christians are the salt of the earth, they must be examples of purity. James 1:27 says that a Christian should keep themselves, unspotted or unstained from the world. Colossians 1:22 says that we should present ourselves holy and blameless and above reproach, because that's what Jesus did for us.

Salt is a preservative. Many people on farms, still have meats, such as bacon, preserved in salt. I remember some farms that used to have these joints of bacon, hanging from their kitchen ceilings until they were ready to eat them. Therefore, salt keeps things from going bad or from corruption. Salt also protects. Just think how it melts the black ice on our roads during a cold winter. 

In Roman times, salt was considered a valuable commodity and it wasn't unusual for soldiers of the Roman Empire being paid in salt. Hence the sayings, 'He's worth his salt,' or if he was a poor worker, 'He isn't worth his salt.'

Salt creates a thirst and draws people to water. If Jesus called His disciples the, 'Salt of the earth,' then He was saying they had the capabilities to draw people to Himself. Also, He classed the disciples - and us - as precious commodities.

I don't use salt in my food all that much, in fact, hardly ever. However, for me, salt does add flavour to the food. It seasons it just right. That's my opinion, your may be different. Jesus wants us to offer flavour to all we meet; to season them well by introducing them to the Kingdom of God. 

If salt is connected to purity; then we also should be pure in all we do and say. Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, therefore, we should be an example to whoever is around.

Salt never really loses its saltiness and we shouldn't lose ours either. Jesus was speaking here of how mixing with the wrong crowd and compromising our faith from time to time, can lead us to losing our saltiness. We all like to enjoy ourselves but there are limits. We can so easily step over this line, and let's be honest, we do and that is the start of losing our saltiness - becoming ineffective, stained and full of blame where fingers can be pointed at us. This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, 'But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.' I Corinthians 9:27.

These are strong words and we have to be careful that we too, are not disqualified because of our behaviour, caused possibly, by the wrong company we keep, and/or not being in control of ourselves.

If you feel this is you; if you feel disqualified then there is good news. You may have lost your saltiness but repent; put it right with Jesus, and then get on with the good work. You know why? Because, you're the salt of the earth!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com