Sunday Reflections - Pass the Salt Shaker

"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)

Ancient records show taxes on salt as far back as the 20th century BC in China. Salt was used as a preservative for all kinds of foods, and it eliminated the need of the populations to eat only seasonal foods. It was, however, difficult to obtain. As such it too became a valued trade item. In fact, salt remained as such until the early 19th century.

Salt comes from sea water and rock salt. Rock salt is harvested from beds of sedimentary evaporated minerals in dried up lakes. In present day United States and Canada, underground salt beds are found anywhere from the Appalachian basin in western New York State to Ontario, as well as under the Michigan basin. Extensive underground salt beds also exist in Cheshire and Droitwich in the United Kingdom. Salt is obtained from these beds by mining or solution mining -- using water or brine, from which salt is extracted via evaporation.

When I was a kid growing up in Tennessee, salt was a primary preservative for pork - Tennessee country ham (one of my favorites) is a salted ham. "Salt curing" was a term that we grew up with and understood.

When I first read the above verse from Matthew where Jesus said that we "are the salt of the earth," I understood what he meant. For me as a child, salt was not only a seasoning that flavored food, it also prolonged the 'life' of food.

Without salt in the 'old days' meat would be good for only a day or two. After that it would become infested with fly larvae and begin to spoil.

Jesus wants us to be a seasoning in the lives of those closest to us. We're to bring Jesus' love and the power of the Holy Spirit to everyone we come into contact with.

By bringing someone to an encounter with Christ, we can be the 'salt' that prolongs their life so that it is not 'spoiled' by their sins.

As the salt of old, we too can be of incredible value to the kingdom of God if we allow Jesus to keep us salty and to use us as he pleases to season the lives of others.

And, salt tastes great on a Margarita!