Jesus said Christians are the “salt of the earth.” I wonder what would happen if we took that assertion seriously. What if we saw ourselves as the preservers of the world? What if we believed we were capable, through the grace of Christ, to melt the hardness of sin blocking others from spiritual life? What if we realized the potential that God’s love, pouring through us, held in diffusing anger, relieving stress, and bringing healing to wounded hearts?

Jesus warns that if salt is not used, it gets thrown out. We miss our call. We miss our purpose. And the world around us suffers a little more because of our immobility.

G. K. Chesterton famously remarked, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.” We think it’s too outrageous for us to possibly make a difference. We focus more on what we can’t do than what He can do through us. So we withdraw into our little salt shakers and rest prettily on the shelf. That is Satan’s victory.

Don’t be deceived. If Jesus Christ lives in you then you have been called to make a difference in the world. There are people in your life who need to be salted. And you are the one to do it. So get off that shelf, go out there and shake things up! Shake, shake, shake, until every crystal of salt in you has been emptied. You don’t want to lose your saltiness. Neither do I.

Father, forgive us for not valuing the gifts you have given. May we receive a clearer understanding of what you want us to do. Help us not lose our saltiness. Amen.

Go Deeper — Think of the people you know and consider whether God might be calling you to bring salt into their lives. Ask Him to help you shake out His love and mercy upon them in tangible ways.



Tags: Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5
Photo Credit: Buzz Zhang