The World Needs Some Salt

            Salt isn’t what it used to be.  Today it is the enemy of the healthy eater and the heart doctor. They all will tell you the dangers about having too much salt in your diet.  In the ancient world however salt was a most valuable commodity.  In the book of Ezra those that worked for the king were described literally as “eating the salt of the palace” (4:12) and salt was used as a form of payment (7:22). Many think our modern word salary came from a Latin phrase describing the practice of giving Roman soldiers payment in the form of salt.  Salt was not only used as a flavoring but it was essential, in the days before refrigeration, as a preservative. In fact, there was a Roman saying, "There is nothing more useful than sun and salt”.

            Jesus refers the nature of salt in his day in Matthew 5:13 when he says "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” Christians are to the human race what salt is to food.  Not only are they are a preserving influence but they also give flavor to life.  Christians live a good moral life and remind the world that there is a standard of morality.  They add quality to life.  Pure salt does not lose its force, but becomes of no value when it is polluted and thus loses its strength.  The Christian has an influence for good, but when he becomes polluted by sin, he is of no value to God or man.  Even though evil men may not appreciate Christians, they are of great value to the world.

            That is why Christian must continually be salty (Mark 9:50). We must be a preservative influence in a world that goes astray for God. In the things we say we must show that kind of influence. Colossians 4:5-6 commands us, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” Our words and actions can and do have an influence in the world. The conversations we carry on at work, the things we say to friends, the messages we post online, are they seasoned and preserved by our faith or are they as rotten and polluted as the world?