Key Scriptures: Matthew 5:13 & Mark 5:13

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Mark 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Relevance

The world cannot live without salt. It is needed everywhere. Like light, salt is a worldwide fundamental Christian ministry. It is placed on the shoulders of every believer and should be one of our prime motivators for good works. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth—the sole compound that strangely savours the people of the earth. That is an extremely high and continuous calling—one that challenges us daily. Salt is the epitome of being ready in season and out of season because it must never lose its savour. 

Salt has many applications. It is a preservative, a medical cleanser, and the chief ingredient that brings flavour to cooking. It is also a prominent body hydrator and a carrier of nutrients to our cells. Furthermore, It regulates blood pressure and underpins the transfer of nerve impulses. 

Our job is to use our salt—the fruit, gifts, and characteristics the Holy Spirit gives—in key areas of life. Purification: This involves ensuring conversations are balanced with gentle godliness and are not godlessly one-sided. A sprinkle of godly talk can flavour hours of conversation. It also means that our homelife, thoughts, intents, and actions are pure and not diseased. 

Cleansing: By using the healing properties of Jesus Christ and the Word of God, we help cleanse the hurts and blames of others at the root of the problem. We also regulate blood pressure. That means, using the gentleness of the Holy Spirit, we do not vehemently argue or attack others, raising their blood pressure to boiling point just to prove a point, even if they're wrong. Grace seasoned with salt—that is, with humble minds—helps us convey only as much of the truth as we think the hearers may bear. We are also involved in nerve transfer, helping people see other points of view compassionately by redirecting focus to a clearer outcome. 

Salt's power and grace do not come from its shape, size, or colour. Like oxygen in our cells, they are in every part of salt's sodium-chloride latticework. Savouring power is in every spiritual fibre of our being.

Salt's ministry is broad, and every application has a necessary purpose. There is no fanfare with salt. Whatever its task, it is straight down to business.

Our salt is dispensed in measured amounts. We all know what it feels like to have raw salt wiped on a wound or ulcer. We might think we're doing good by giving someone a mouthful of 'salt'. But we're not meant to do that to others. We mix it with the water of the Word, thus bringing a soothing feeling with perhaps a slight sting of rebuke or other at the beginning. Then, we let the Word and the Holy Spirit do their jobs.

It is important to keep our salt fresh and ready to apply. If salt has lost its savour, it is useless. Despite salt's ability to bring peace, potency, and balance to recipients, nobody is blessed when it has lost its ability to season. It is our responsibility to maintain an up-to-date prayer life, fellowship links and reading schedule, and a heart that always seeks humility. 

At least half of our key scriptures speak about salt losing its saltiness—the reason for its existence—and its pointless life after that. Strong's concordance makes some embarrassing comments when talking about salt losing its savour. Losing savour means walking away from God, ceasing to read and obey His Word, and transposing a sober-minded life for one of a local fool. Fairly tough accusations, aren't they? 

Strong's: to be foolish, to act foolish, to make foolish. To make flat and tasteless, no strength (No wisdom or spiritual strength). To become insipid, to act as a simpleton—become a fool. 

Psalm 14:1 warns: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. The bottom line of losing our savour is that it is linked to our faith, which we allow to drift away—the reason for which is irrelevant. In the days of Jesus Christ, if salt had lost its savour, the Romans threw it on the road to help with the padding and to soak up the mire. Another use was when leaders besieged a city. They would sometimes salt it as a type of curse, as described in Judges 9:45 and other history books. In either application, salt was used as a matter of shame. 

Keeping our saltiness strong and alive (as weird as it sounds) is more important than we think. When our faith has gone, we are no good at all for Kingdom purposes and no better than road dust. 

Leviticus 2:13 tells us about offering to the Lord And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

When we offer ourselves to God, our offering should be seasoned with salt ( preservation and taste) to bring out the most flavoursome service with the distinct fragrance of peace and sweetness of rest where God knows He can trust us.

So, it is our duty to maintain our saltiness and its ability to be used.

To check this, we can take stock of our present spiritual life and gauge how earnestly we're working in God for other people. We can examine our biases and fakeness and remove them. We can then challenge ourselves to be more understanding, more empathetic, and more willing to walk that extra mile to keep the earth salted. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Your Son used analogies to help us understand that whatever our ministries, we have another one that undergirds everything we do. People need help in so many ways. Who better to do that than earnest believers piloted by the Holy Spirit? Praise you for your understanding of the world's needs.

Photo by Jason Tuinstra