You are the salt of the Earth

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Matthew 5:13

I have once heard of this argument between two men, about the evolution of Man from an animal. It went along the lines of: one side arguing that we are just animals and part of Nature, no different from monkeys or fishes; the other side arguing for the uniqueness of this being called Man, that we are fundamentally different from the rest of nature. There is much to be said intellectually and both sides have built strong forts in their own world of thoughts, but the thought for today is really about the unique predicament that Man is in. And Jesus points this out really powerfully through the analogy of Salt.

Salt is arguably Mankind's best discovery and has led to the revolution in our taste buds that many in our times would probably die without. The saltiness of a dish is what sets one delicious dish apart from a hated one. And Jesus says firmly that the flavor of the Salt is what makes it important: if it loses its flavor, it loses its use for "good". And one can only think of bland food as the lack of flavor: flavor, which for the purpose of our illustration, comes from Salt. The whole purpose of Salt in a dish is to add flavor. So what is the point of adding Salt that is not at all Salty? Or adding seasoning that does not add flavor to a dish?

Flavor is never a lack of blandness, but blandness most definitely can be identified as a lack of flavor.

The comparison of blandness to flavor is a great illustration. Flavor is never a lack of blandness, but blandness most definitely can be identified as a lack of flavor. So let us, the salt of the Earth, never lose that flavor that distinguishes us from the rest of the world. Thus, in my humble opinion, there is a difference between Man and the rest of nature: and this "flavor" is from the sovereign will of God Almighty who has called us to be His sons and Daughters through Christ.

And Jesus has chosen to use this analogy to describe His people. In the previous verse, Jesus encourages people who will be persecuted for His sake (Matthew 5:11-12), then He proceeds to address these followers, and declares that they are the "salt of the Earth". So if the whole world was a dish, Jesus' followers were the salt of the plate, the seasoning and the flavor of the meal.

There is a deeper revelation to this. For in the subsequent verses, Jesus also calls us to "let [our] light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). From the outset, God has appointed His people and called them His own. And here in Matthew 5, Jesus has called this same people different, and a difference that is so stark, it is like being flavorful in contrast to being bland. There is an addition of something that makes His people unique. In fact, there is an element that is contrary to nature, like how saltiness is contrary to blandness. There is in this idea, a contrast in the people of God to the people who are not of God. There is a "flavor" that is not a part of the dish itself, but adds to it definitely.

There is in the Christian walk, an ever-so-subtle expectation for more.

There is in the Christian walk, an ever so subtle expectation for more. That a Christian life would be one that is above and beyond the average person. It is beyond just doing the right thing, or avoiding evil. And I think that Paul best describes this difference:

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5: 16-17

For the believer, we are to walk in the Spirit! And the Holy Spirit has already been given after Jesus has returned to God in the heavens, and before He comes back, the Holy Spirit is here to comfort, guide, counsel, help and remind us of our place before God. As the salt of the world.

Beloved,

You are called the salt of the earth!

You are called to have flavor!

Let's not conform to the blandness of this world and seek the True Bread of Life!