Salt

Sometimes we need to revisit a topic; today is one of those times. 

As I sat at my laptop awaiting my daily download, the only word I heard was “salt”. I did not immediately act upon it because I knew that it was a topic I had written about years ago. So, I continued to wait…” Salt”. I heard it again. 

Time was passing. I folded a couple sheets I’d laundered earlier. 

“SALT” It was now like a thunderclap in my brain. “SALT” 

Finally I reacted by whispering inquisitively, “salt?” “Yes, Salt” “We’ve done that already though.”

Silence

“Shall I tweak it?”

Silence

I reached for my phone, went to “Bethel At Balata”, searched “Salt” to find when it was posted – 2017. As I reached for my laptop…"You can use a different photo"...

“You, beloved, are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes bland and loses its saltiness, can anything make it salty again? No. It is useless. It is tossed out, thrown away, or trampled.” – Matthew 5:13 (VOICE)

Recently I saw a meme on Facebook of a chef and the caption was “The Salt Man”, I must admit that it was funny. And, as my laughter turned to a chuckle it dawned on me that we’re all “The Salt Man” since in Matthew 5:13, Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth and we cannot afford to lose our saltiness. And, as I mused upon the word “Saltiness”, I thought of something else, “salty” – a word used nowadays to describe a person who is upset, an adjective that explains one who has taken offense or is over re-acting.

To be salty in this regard reminds me of Lot’s wife. She was transformed into a pillar of salt – that’s the ultimate in saltiness – because of her looking back longingly for what God had brought to a destructive end (ref. Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32). That is not the kind of salt you want to be. In her case the salt she became was a symbol of death – lifeless, tasteless, and unable to add any flavor to anything or anyone. By her actions, Lot’s wife immediately became exactly what she yearned for and looked back to.

Generally, in the Bible, to be salty is by no means a bad thing. Salt is a symbol of covenant, fellowship, and grace (see Numbers 18:19; Leviticus 2:13; Colossians 4:6). Indeed our Lord wants us to be salty; He wants us to add flavor to other’s lives by walking in, and embracing the ways and principles of His Kingdom.

To be the salt man is to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth through the way we live, to reach out to those around us to share the great news of our Lord Jesus Christ and to be examples of the positive impact He can have in their lives.

Owia Salt Pond St Vincent

We are salt, and that means that we must take every opportunity to provide spiritual flavor to every individual we meet.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson January 16, 2017 re-posted February 9, 2025