The Salt of the Earth

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. - Matthew 5:13

Jesus had a lot to say during His sermon on the mount. There were many important truths He was trying to get across. One of the things He was trying to stress was the impact that believers should have on the lives of others.

In verse 13, Jesus told the believers, Ye are the salt of the earth. Because Jesus knew how hard it was for the people to understand, He often gave earthly examples. He would relate things to terms that people were familiar with. We all know about salt, right? So, what things should believers have in common with salt?

1. Preservation - Salt is often used to preserve foods. Think about the world we live in and how bad things have become. Now, imagine how much worse the world would be if all the Christians were gone. One of our jobs, while here on earth, is to preserve.

2. Flavor - Food without salt is bland. As Christians, we ought to make this life more "flavorful." We ought to add some "spice" to it. It should be more enjoyable because of our lives and the testimonies we hold.

3. Healing - Ever rinsed with salt water when you had a sore throat? Sure, because salt has healing properties. As believers, we do not have the ability to heal broken hearts or bodies, but we can lead others to the One who can. We can help and encourage while telling about the Great Physician.

4. Production of Thirst - Doesn't salt make you thirsty? Christians ought to make the world thirsty for what we have -- a life in Christ. We should live our lives in such a way that the world will look at us and say, "Something's different about her. I want what she has."

So, you see, Jesus made a very strong analogy that day. Christians, just like salt, have many other uses, but these are just a few to get you thinking. Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth. The question is: Are we acting like it? Are we doing the things that salt is designed to do? Are we doing the things that WE are designed to do? After all, Jesus said that salt that's lost is savour is good for nothing. I don't want to be good for nothing. How about you? Just something to think about today.