"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men.” Matt. 5:13 HCSB
There was a time in the Roman Empire that soldiers were paid in salt. Salt was a precious commodity and salt was valuable enough to pay soldiers. This is the time when the phrase, “not worth his salt”, came into use. Salt was also used to help preserve meats as the salt stopped the spread of bacteria. And obviously salt is used to add flavor and taste to foods even to this day.
It was in this setting and timeframe that Jesus preached his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. Very early on in that message to those gathered to hear his words Jesus said that his followers are the salt of the earth.
I wonder if the churches in the United States have lost their saltiness. Anywhere from 3,500 to 4,000 churches close operation every year. The decline of the effectiveness of churches is obvious all around us. It seems to me as I look around the people of churches today it is more important to fit in and be like the world than it is to be different and to be salty.
What does it mean to be salty in our world today? I believe we need to be about 3 things:
There was a time in the Roman Empire that soldiers were paid in salt. Salt was a precious commodity and salt was valuable enough to pay soldiers. This is the time when the phrase, “not worth his salt”, came into use. Salt was also used to help preserve meats as the salt stopped the spread of bacteria. And obviously salt is used to add flavor and taste to foods even to this day.
It was in this setting and timeframe that Jesus preached his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. Very early on in that message to those gathered to hear his words Jesus said that his followers are the salt of the earth.
I wonder if the churches in the United States have lost their saltiness. Anywhere from 3,500 to 4,000 churches close operation every year. The decline of the effectiveness of churches is obvious all around us. It seems to me as I look around the people of churches today it is more important to fit in and be like the world than it is to be different and to be salty.
What does it mean to be salty in our world today? I believe we need to be about 3 things:
1. Be worth our value. Jesus thought we were valuable enough to come and die for us. That act alone proves the value that we should display and live in the world. Add value to everything you come in contact with.
2. Stop the spread of corruption. When evil comes our way we should make sure it stops with us and is not spread by us. Make sure that you are different and those around you know it.
3. Add flavor to the world around us. The apostle Paul said, “Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” Colossians 4:6 The church and churchgoers should add flavor and delight to those we come in contact with. This is a delicate balance we need to live as we stop corruption but also add flavor.
