“You are the salt of the earth. But, if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” – Matthew 5:13 NIV
Matthew 5:13 takes place in the midst of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. After listing the Beatitudes, Jesus turns his attention to how his disciples are to live. But what does it mean to be the salt of the earth? We are going to look into the utility of salt and see how we are to live as disciples of Christ.
How Does Salt Lose its Saltiness?
Before we dive into the utility of salt, let’s take a look at another part of the verse. Matthew 5:13 says that if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? Salt does not change; the chemical makeup stays the same. So, what is Jesus talking about?
Well, the salt in that time was collected out of marshes mixed with other matter. The salt had to be separated from this matter and purified to be made useful. In Jesus’ time it was an expensive and laborious process. It is not that salt loses its flavor, but rather it becomes useless if it is contaminated and diluted with other materials. Much like the salt, as Christians we are supposed to be refined, purified and set apart. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the things of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. We are not useful to the kingdom if we are increasingly diluted with the sins of this world.
Flavor Enhancement
The first use for salt, and probably the most well-known today, is to enhance the flavor of food. In my house, we use copious amounts of salt. My husband and I both love the flavor it brings out in our food and love how it can take dull foods and really help them shine. But what does that have to do with Christians living out their lives for Christ? We are called to stand out, to enhance the world around us. We are supposed to be bringing out joy during trials, instead of bitterly complaining. People should notice a difference in our lives.
Colossians 4:6 says, “let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” When we understand the grace that has been bestowed upon us by the creator of the universe, it is easier to show grace to those around us. We live in a world with a “you get what you deserve” mentality. But we are called to be the salt, to show grace, to enhance those around us for the betterment of the kingdom of God.
Preservation
The most common way salt was used during the time of the Gospels was for preservation. Refrigeration was not a thing back then so in order to keep food from spoiling, it was cured in salt. Salt was a vital part of these people’s lives. People were even paid in salt because it was such a valuable commodity.
As Christians we are to preserve the earth while we wait for Jesus to return. We are to work to keep the earth from becoming totally corrupt and evil. Yes, many places in scripture tell us that the world is going to become corrupt and terrible. And that catastrophe is going to happen. So, it is not our job to keep the inevitable from happening. But we do have a responsibility to preserve what we can. To preserve our children’s innocence, to preserve the biblical model of a family unit, and to preserve the fruits of the spirit as we model them in our lives.
Prayer for Us All
As we go about our day to day lives, let us remember our command to be the salt of the earth. To enhance the lives of those around us and to preserve the biblical standards set before us until the day our savior comes back.
