Today’s 333 Devotional: “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)

Salt represents our influence in the world in the way we are to be.

In ancient times salt was seen as a necessity of life thus great value was attached to it. Because of its seasoning and preservative qualities salt was one of the most highly prized minerals.

Salt was so important that it was often times used for money. The English word for salary is derived from the Latin word “salarium” and refers to the payments made to a Roman soldier with salt. The phrase, “Worth their salt,” was derived from this very practice.

Today we really don’t think a lot about salt, that is, unless we have high blood pressure or eating a steak. Most often we think of salt as that condiment that sits on the top of a dining table in a bottle with holes in the top.

But back in the days of Jesus people placed a great value on this commodity because they were entirely dependent upon it.

So, when Jesus likens his disciples to salt, what He meant is that we should be one of the most highly prized and valued people group in the world.

But salt loses its saltiness when it is combined with other minerals, and while it may look like salt it’s not, and of no value.

But salt also is no good if it stays in the shaker. The church is not a warehouse of salt, it’s supposed to be the dispenser of salt, shaking us out so we make contact with others for Christ so we can make a difference.

But when we become contaminated by the world, we are no longer salty and become like Lot’s wife, a pillar of salt, instead of being a seasoning for Christ.