Salt and Christians - Andrew K. Putnam
“You are the salt of the earth”. Near the beginning of the sermon on the mount in Matthew (ch 5:13), Jesus directs this statement at his disciples, his followers. In all of the apparent chaos and troubles of our time, this point should hold great significance in the life of a modern Christian.
Basic salt is a mineral composed primarily of Sodium Chloride (NaCL). If I go to the grocery store, there is an entire shelf filled with options of salt for purchase. For 40 cents I can purchase a 26oz container. So it’s easy for us to miss part of what Jesus is conveying by this statement. In the early first century (and long before), salt was a precious commodity. There were salt merchants in the marketplace and Roman soldiers were paid partially in salt. In fact the word for salt is the basis for the words for both ‘soldier’ and ‘salary’.
Salt was essential for both seasoning and seasons. It was used as both a condiment to aid the flavoring of food and a preservative for meats and seafoods. People literally depended upon salt to get them though difficult times of the year. Therefore, when Jesus says to his disciples, “you are the salt of the earth”, He is pointing out that they have worth and they have use.
You have value. You are worth something. Regardless of what the world says about you or how it treats you, consider the tremendous planning, work, and sacrifice made by the Lord Almighty to secure an eternal relationship with you. Since before you were formed in the womb, God knew you. He cares for you, has compassion towards you and shows his grace to you. You are a valuable commodity. Jesus Christ died upon a cross for your sins. We celebrate and worship the Lord for this unearned act of grace towards us and clearly we have worth to the God who created us, saves us and sustains us. Sometimes folks need to be reminded of this. In all of the events going on around us, from pandemic to politics, Christians need to remember the simple, yet powerful, truth that God loves them. He will not abandon them or forsake them. He is carrying out a perfect plan even in the midst of what seems like chaos. His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence does not change. This God loves you. You have worth.
For reasons that aren’t always clear, the Lord chooses to work through us, to use us for his glory. He uniquely equips us for his work. As a Christian we are given opportunities each day to encourage, strengthen and inspire those we come in contact with. As you go about your day, God’s love, grace and compassion in your life, can impact those you meet. You may never know what is going on the life of that person you encounter in line at the store, on the phone, or in passing- but you have a moment to sprinkle, to season, their life with the love and mercy that Jesus has shown you. You have a time to model Christ to them.
Also, you bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to those you encounter. You bring hope, joy and the truth of salvation to a lost world. You bring not only seasoning for the day, but preservation for their future. As we go through another year of dealing with all of the problems bought by a viral pandemic, we need to recognize the crucial importance of sharing the gospel message. As this virus brings the conversations about mortality to the forefront of peoples minds, Christians should seize every opportunity to share the gospel, to tell of the eternal nature of our Lord and the salvation that is possible through Jesus Christ, to be used by God for his glory. You are the salt of the earth.