In Matthew 5:13, Jesus says believers are the salt of the earth and goes on to warn that if we lose our taste, we are no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. These are powerful words when you understand the context and that it is completely applicable today.

‘”You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Matthew 5:13

Salt is used for many things . . . melting ice, preserving food, adding taste to food, healing wounds, inducing thirst, removing impurities, etc.

When used for healing wounds, salt stings a little while extracting impurities and then helps the wound heal. Most medicine tastes bad going down but leads to improved health.

We are called to be Salt of the Earth, not Honey of the Earth. Honey would be so much easier and it feels like Christians take the easy, non confrontational approach to relevant issues as it is. The hearer of God’s word may feel a sting sometimes. That’s conviction of the Holy Spirit. It is is in their best interest and leads to healing.

But I wonder if we’ve become too scared to be salty. We don’t speak the truth in love. We’re scared to be called judgmental, intolerant, haters and worse.

Or maybe we love the world and have become entangled in the affairs of this world. We need to be in the world to share the good news but we can’t become of the world without risking losing our saltiness.

When Jesus spoke these words he was using an illustration that was relevant for the hearers of that day.

In Jesus time, homes, towns and roadways had clay ovens, called Tabun, for cooking. Tabun ovens are still used in parts of the Middle east today. The picture at the top of this post is a modern day example of a tabun in a public area similar to the one’s that would have been familiar to hearer’s of Jesus’ words.

That area of the world had limited forest to provide wood to burn. Dung from cows, camels and other animals was mixed with salt, formed into patties and put in the sun to dry. These patties were then placed on salt slabs in the clay oven to provide the fuel to heat the oven.

Once the salt and manure mix was burned up, it was no longer good for anything and would be removed from the oven and tossed in the road where it would be trampled under people’s feet. It lost it’s usefulness.

‘”Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  Luke 14:34-35 

“therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone.” 1 Kings 14:10 

Don’t be the salt that gets mixed in with dung and is consumed by fire and loses it’s saltiness.

 

We have to be in the world to make a difference. We can’t be physically separated from the lost, but we must be careful to maintain our saltiness with all of it’s healing and preserving properties. We cannot compromise!

Be the salt that brings healing and spice to life.

Salt is a preservative. Defend and preserve God’s word in this fallen world.

Salt is a seasoning. Bring spice to life. Show the joy God deserves.

Salt induces thirst. Help others develop a thirst for the word of God by  developing the thirst yourself.

We are called to be salt of the earth, not honey.

BE SALTY!