“You are the salt of the earth.”
Matthew 5:13
If the world has ever needed salt, it is now. Salt is a condiment that we often take for granted. When we go grocery shopping, it is often the cheapest item in our cart. Have you ever heard anyone complaining about the price of salt? Me neither. We take it for granted because our pantries are often filled with all kinds of salt. But in Jesus’ time, salt was a precious and rare commodity. It was hard to find and therefore considered extremely valuable. At the time that Jesus declared to his audience, “You are the salt of the earth,” there was no electricity or refrigerators, and therefore salt was used as a preservative. It was the main way that people preserved their food. Considering how essential food is to life, salt was extremely valuable, and Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt rations.
Jesus’ audience back then, would have understood this declaration differently than we do today, and yet the deeper truths of this verse are just as relevant for us today. What Jesus is implying here is that salt has value. Just as we use it to flavor our food, being the salt of the earth means our purpose is to flavor the world with the essence of Jesus. Jesus came to this world to fulfill God’s command; we are called to go out into the world as his followers to continue his work.
Our world needs salt. Our world needs flavor. It needs kindness, compassion, generosity, honesty, integrity, peace and love. Our world needs Jesus. We are valuable and useful when we obey the call to go and be salt of the earth. Salt is only useful when it is used for something else. A saltshaker that is never used is a mere ornament. If we fail to go out and flavor the earth, we fail to fulfill our intended purpose on earth.
So, brethren, are you living a life of purpose for Jesus or are you sitting like a saltshaker at the center of the table? When Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth,” he is calling us to exist for more than ourselves, for more than our doctrines and theologies. He is calling us to serve a valuable and useful purpose by flavoring the earth in his name. Right now, the world needs salt. “You (dear friend) are the salt of the earth.” May the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you, as you fulfill your intended purpose this week. AMEN!