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Salt of the Earth from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

During the ministry of Jesus, salt was a precious commodity. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid with salt, which created the phrase "worth his salt." Our modern word for salary is derived from the Latin word "salarium," meaning "salt money."

Salt has two main properties: It gives flavor and also preserves from corruption. It has been used to preserve meat and fish for centuries, used as an antiseptic, and the daily use of salt promoted healthy teeth and gums. Jesus called His disciples "Salt of the Earth":

(Matthew 5:13 NKJV)  “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."

(Luke 14:34–35 NKJV)  “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 

Technically, salt is sodium chloride, and in its pure form is a stable compound that does not deteriorate with age. When stored properly, salt can last indefinitely. There is no expiration date.

Yet, if salt is exposed to moisture, it may clump together and take on some odor from the surrounding environment, which can alter its flavor. So salt cannot lose its flavor but can be diluted with impurities until it no longer tastes like salt or becomes offensive to taste. 

Christians are the salt of the Earth and should be the opposite of bland. The disciple who is committed to Jesus above everything else is delivered from blandness. Their presence is always known. They season the lives of those around them with zest, gusto, and vitality. 

Too often, though, we are exposed to bad environments and gradually begin to take on the odor around us. The Apostle Paul wrote:

(1 Corinthians 15:33 NASB)  Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

The company you keep will put a smell on you unless you have enough salt in yourself to preserve. Jesus did, and we must remember that He dined with the sinners while the saints grumbled outside. I have had Him place me in some really bad places and spark a revival around me. Look at what happened after Jesus spoke about discipleship and salt in context:

(Luke 14:34–15:2 NKJV)  “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

The tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus to hear more, but the Pharisees and scribes, who were the religious elite of the day, complained. I have witnessed that. The truth spoken in love does not drive people away but instead draws them. Weakening the Gospel so it is more palatable to the masses causes the salt to lose its flavor, and it becomes something bland and boring that no one wants. Sometimes, I turn on a Christian radio station and quickly turn it away in disgust. Why is it so bland and boring? Where is the salt? 

The Lord has often dropped me into the middle of a group of hardcore heathens who spent their lunch bragging about their nightly escapades in the breakroom. But when I would walk through during a fast, the room would become silent because the light isn't afraid of darkness, but the night retreats from the light.

It is strange, but most of the foul odors I have picked up were from being around lukewarm, gossiping Christians and not from heathens. For if you drop a light into a dark room, then that room becomes lit. Light has a distinct advantage, for the darkness never drives back the light. Jesus said:

(Matthew 5:14–16 NKJV)  “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Carry enough salt and light that you affect those you come in contact with and decontaminate your environment. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it can also be the last day of your past. Be salty, for Christians who have lost their flavor become good for nothing. 

You can pray this with me if you like: 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for the wonderful life You have given me. Please stir up my spirit and the gifts You have put within me. Teach me to use them to their fullest potential. Help me add flavor to the lives of those I come in contact with. May they meet You when they meet me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!