Be Salt and Shake up the World

Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Salt has many properties that are helpful to man. In the time of Jesus, salt was used to add flavor to food. It was a preservative and just rubbing a small amount into meat slowed the decaying process. Salt was used for cleansing and healing as in the case of the salt water gargle that gives comfort and pain relief.

Jesus said we are salt and that we must not lose our saltiness. We must not do anything that causes us to lose the distinctiveness that sets us apart from the world and makes us Christians.

How does salt lose its saltiness? It is thought that when salt was stored in the first century and was inadvertently, contaminated with other minerals, it would attract moisture.Then as evaporation occurred, the salt would leach away leaving the contaminants and a much inferior salt. The only thing to do with this diminished salt was to pour it out on the foot path to inhibit the growth of weeds.

As believers today, our role is to preserve the good in this hostile and sinful world. By living a redeemed life before man, Christians show forth God's standards of righteousness. By God's power, God uses disciples to share the good news of Christ and the hope of salvation. Living this way requires holy boldness and the moral fortitude that comes from submitting to the will of God.

Christians live in radical opposition to the world. Their values and lifestyle are distinctively different. While others look out for number one, Christians are concerned about the needs of others. Following the example of Christ, they are happy to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned. They love the sometimes unlovable. They offer hope to the hopeless and comfort to those in distress. They offer the healing word of God which brings about deliverance. They dare to pray, even for their enemies, and expect God to answer.

Jesus said that we are salt. How are you shaking up the culture around you? How does your identity in Christ move you to make a difference in the lives of those around you? Will you choose to add the flavor of Jesus to a tasteless world? Share the gospel in your home and community- with your friends and family, coworkers and acquaintances. By the power of God, be a life enhancer and a soul preserver. Let who you are influence how you live and how you relate to others. Be salt!