Being Salt

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

BEING SALT

Matt 5:13

13 "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 by men.

NIV

We can be sure many preachers have made hay with this verse, and with good reason. Certainly, the use of salt in the days of Jesus was used for other than to shake on the food to enhance flavor. Salt’s primary purpose was to preserve things, such as meat or fish so that it would not spoil without refrigeration, which we are fully aware they did not have any of our such conveniences. From our research, we have found there is a place between Judea and Edom on the south side of the Dead Sea which is called the valley of salt. This is not a place of purified salt, but rather an area that has veins of normal chloride of sodium intermixed with the earth. When some of the compound is broken off it is exposed to the elements, such as the sun and the rain, it loses the saltiness, however, it still has that crystal-like sparkly appearance. Those areas of the veins that are still in the ground, still attached remain salty. It would seem Jesus is making a point that although we might look like a Christian, that has a little of that sparkle left in us if we are not connected to the rock, The Rock, Jesus then we have lost our saltiness and in the time of Jesus that would mean it is absolutely useless for anything else other than a gravel-like substance to use on a pathway, to be trampled by men. Still, there is the metaphorical use of this word salt in that it does preserve as well as enhance the taste of food. So, in that sense, we are that which enhances the taste of this earth in the mouth of God. However, in another sense, we are those who preserve the message of the gospel. We need to be shaking our saltiness upon those who need to be preserved so they will not spoil or perish. If we are not being the salt of the earth, if we are not shaking ourselves out on the world, having the effect that salt has, then of what use are we to the kingdom of God? If all we do is keep to ourselves, separate ourselves, come out from the world, having nothing to do with it, then we have lost our purpose, our way, and perhaps our saltiness, for who of us can taste the salt on our food, if it remains in the shaker, in fact, we cannot be sure it is even salt.