It's All About Salt!

                          

                                    It's All About Salt!

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."

These are the words of Jesus, when He spoke to His disciples, recorded in Matthew 5.

Very familiar, maybe so familiar we skip over their importance.

Salt in the ancient world was essential to preserve (no refrigeration then) and season food. Its sodium and chloride maintain bodily functions, like nerve transmission and muscle contractions. It also helps bone development and regulates blood pressure.

Life on earth would not exist without the abundance of salt!

And so it became an important trade commodity, even used as currency. The word "salary" originally came from the Latin word for "salt" -- hence the phrase, "worth your salt."

Pure salt, like we use today, is chemically stable.

But in ancient times it could become ineffective in various ways -- dissolved in water and its components leached out, impurities added and contamination.

It lost its "saltiness."

It was good for nothing, except to be "thrown out and trampled underfoot," Jesus said.

Did that happen?

Yes! Contaminated salt that had lost its original effectiveness was stored. Later, in times of rain and icy weather, it was brought out and scattered over the slippery places, to provide traction for walkers in the dangerous areas, especially on the steps leading into the temple! Many accidents were prevented by the use of salt.

And salt lowers the temperature needed to freeze water, so it would help dissolve ice and retard its build up! 

Great idea, right? Don't we do the same? -- We salt roads to prevent sliding and accidents.

And so WE are the salt needed on earth  -- intended to preserve and season the goodness of life -- love, kindness and truth -- and we extend God's grace.

And besides all that -- SALT MAKES PEOPLE THIRSTY!

And Jesus comes to us to quench that thirst!

Remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well:

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14).

So we are the critical salt of the earth-- go out today and be salt! Make people thirsty! For Jesus!