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Being
Salty
.
As Christians, we aren’t here to blot
out the colors and flavors around us - we're not here to ignore or destroy what
we see and replace it with something else - rather, we are to be (tasty)
ambassadors of Christ on a mission to draw out and display goodness - God made
a good world, and, though fallen, it's still good! - we still have the breath
of life from God inside us - so, let's remember to point to the truth and be
the people who enhance and brighten wherever we go
by Debbie Holloway
“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” - (Matthew 5:13).
I think sometimes
we get so used to our familiar metaphors we fail to let their significance
really sink in.
What Christian
hasn’t proclaimed brightly: "We're salt and light!"?
And yet, do we
really think about the significance of that imagery?
In a faith tradition
where we have so many great metaphors and allegories, let's remember to ponder
this one that Jesus coined.
What does it mean
to be "the salt of the earth"?
Salt Enhances
But condiment
connoisseurs will make sure to explain that salt, when used properly, brings
out the flavor already present in the food itself.
Unlike pepper,
which was used in ancient times to mask distasteful rotting
and souring in foods such as meat, salt only enhances what’s there.
As Christians, we
aren’t here to blot out the colors and flavors around us.
We're not here to
ignore or destroy what we see and replace it with something else.
Rather, we are to
be (tasty) ambassadors of Christ on a mission to draw out and display goodness.
God made a good
world, and, though fallen, it's still good!
We still have the
breath of life from God inside us.
So, let's remember
to point to the truth and be the people who enhance and brighten wherever we
go, not overpower our surroundings like too much pepper.
Salt Preserves
Before the age of
refrigeration, how did people preserve perishable food?
That's right: salt.
Something about packing
meat with salt slows down the process of decay, making it easier to store,
transport, and save meat without it going rancid right away.
Likewise, let us as
the salt of the earth remember to preserve what is good.
In matters of
justice and stewardship, Christians should be front and center to fight for
what is right, what is safe, and what brings life to the world around us.
Our homes,
families, and communities should be solid and fresh, not rotting and fetid.
If we fail to
protect and preserve, what good are we?
If we fail to
enhance the flavor of what’s around us, there's nothing left for us "except
to be thrown out" (so to speak).
Intersecting Faith
and Life: Be a sweet taste and a force for good, and those around you will
"praise your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Salem
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