You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
– Matthew 5:13
Imagine a world without salt.
An elderly man sat in the doctor’s office, scrunched into the little room with the formidable exam table, equipment, the doctor, and two doting family members. The doctor studied the computer screen for a moment and then asked him how much salt he ate with his meals.
“Too much,” replied one of the family members.
“But eating salt is Scriptural,” he protested.
Yes. Amen. I believe.
Try, if you can, to imagine a world without salt. It would be a sad, sad place. It’s hard to conceive of a movie without buttery, salty popcorn turning your fingers gold and puckering your mouth until you must buy that large pop for $29.95. Do you really want to exist in a backyard barbecue without sour cream and cheddar potato chips? Without salt, life would be so, well…
Tasteless.
Although in modern countries salt is plentiful, in ancient times, it was so valuable it was used as money. While too much of it can be detrimental, salt does have some redeeming qualities:
*It has antiseptic properties.
*It is necessary for life.
*It is a preservative.
*It makes us thirsty.
*It enhances the flavor of food.
It’s not hard to see why Jesus called His people the salt of the earth. It’s His plan for us to exhibit these same qualities. We’re called to be a cleansing, preserving force in the world. We’re supposed to provide what’s necessary for life to those who are dying. We should make others thirsty for the living water. We have the power to share our joy in the journey.
Pure salt can’t lose its flavor. Only salt that’s contaminated is tasteless. Jesus said salt in that state was useless to Him, fit only to be tossed out onto the footpaths.
Church, it’s time to seize the flavor. Toss out the fillers. Go to the source and get pure again. Be strong. Be purifying, preserving, cleansing, life-giving, and joyful. Let’s quit being tasteless.
Make ‘em thirsty.
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