Being Salty - Crosswalk the Devotional - April 17

Be a pleasant taste and a force for good, and those around you will "praise your Father in Heaven."

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Being Salty
By Debbie Holloway

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).

I think sometimes we get so used to our familiar metaphors, we fail to let their significance really sink in. What Christian hasn’t proclaimed brightly: "We're salt and light!"? And yet, do we really think about the significance of that imagery? In a faith tradition where we have so many great metaphors and allegories, let's remember to ponder this one that Jesus coined.

What does it mean to be "the salt of the earth"?

Salt Enhances

As we know too well in our sodium-filled modern world, salt makes things taste better. But condiment connoisseurs will make sure to explain that salt, when used properly, brings out the flavor already present in the food itself. Unlike pepper, which was used in ancient times to mask distasteful rotting and souring in foods such as meat, salt only enhances what’s there.

As Christians, we aren’t here to blot out the colors and flavors around us. We're not here to ignore or destroy what we see and replace it with something else. Rather, we are to be (tasty) ambassadors of Christ on a mission to draw out and display goodness. God made a good world, and, though fallen, it's still good! We still have the breath of life from God inside us. So let's remember to point to the truth and be the people who enhance and brighten wherever we go, not overpower our surroundings like too much pepper.

Salt Preserves

Before the age of refrigeration, how did people preserve perishable food? That's right: salt. Something about packing meat with salt slows down the process of decay, making it easier to store, transport, and save meat without it going rancid right away.

Likewise, let us as the salt of the earth remember to preserve what is good. In matters of justice and stewardship, Christians should be front and center to fight for what is right, what is safe, and what brings life to the world around us. Our homes, families, and communities should be solid and fresh, not rotting and fetid.

If we fail to protect and preserve, what good are we? If we fail to enhance the flavor of what’s around us, there's nothing left for us "except to be thrown out" (so to speak).

Intersecting Faith and Life: Be a pleasant taste and a force for good, and those around you will "praise your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

Further Reading

Matthew 5

Colossians 4:6

Mark 9:50

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Related Resource: Bold Prayers: Asking God to Reveal the Roots of Our Anxiety

Sometimes, anxiety can hit without any recognizable provocation, or our anxiety can feel more intense than the situation warrants. When we find ourselves in that place, we can pray the prayer ancient Israel's second king, David, prayed at the end of Psalm 139, trusting that our God will and is leading us to increased freedom. Listen in to this episode of Faith Over Fear and have your mind and heart fixed on the truth you need for your day! If you like this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

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