Salt

“You are the salt of the earth” Matthew 5:13

Salt – We’ve all heard messages about this verse.  We have been reminded that as believers we are to “infect” the world.  We are to spread the message of the good news to the “unsalted”.  But salt has another meaning that needs some attention.  Salt is a substance that is supposed to make a difference.  Salt is useless if it doesn’t alter the food.  Your life as a believer is useless to God’s kingdom if it is not making a difference in the unsalted world.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Your words are the salt of the earth.”  He doesn’t say “Your proclamation” or “your church membership” or “your ethics”.  He says “You“!  All of you.  The waking, sleeping, eating, working, walking around life of you.  All of it has to make a difference.  God’s salt isn’t compartmentalized.

Once I was riding with a man who was an orthodox Jew.  I was eating an apple.  When I finished the apple, I opened the window to throw out the core.  It was biodegradable, so I thought, “There’s no problem here.  A bird might even get a meal.”  But he stopped me.  He explained that in Jewish thought even the appearance of breaking the law was enough to not act inappropriately.  It didn’t matter that I was doing nothing wrong.  It mattered that others would see the action and not realize it was an apple core.  I would not make a difference if it appeared that I acted just like others.

What about you?  Do you drive differently?  Do you speak differently?  Do you shop differently?  Or do you watch the same television programs, go to the same movies, drive the same cars, buy the same clothes, live in the same houses, have the same lifestyle, struggle with the same issues?  Salt that doesn’t make a difference isn’t salt anymore.  It’s all about appearance

When someone who doesn’t know you looks at your life, do they see just another person, or do they see someone who is different?  Someone whose life can’t be explained without recognizing God’s salt.

Augustine said, “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words”.  That’s a life of salt.