Salt Of The Earth

[Digging4Truth]

In the 5th Chapter of Matthew we are told "Ye are the salt of the earth"

Today I have been thinking about that statement and I think that there is enough in that small phrase to help provide some much needed balance in Christianity's image in the world today.

There are several things to keep in mind.

1. Someone who has never tasted salt does not realize that their food is missing salt.

So often Christians look at people who have not begun building a relationship with their creator as if they have made a concious decision to reject God. We seem to think that everyone has had the experiences we have had and have chosen another path. Quite often people have lived their lives and never come in contact with someone who can give them a "taste" of the love of God. (There is more I could say here but it will com in a later point.)

2. Some have only had contact with "Christians" who know no other way than to just "Pour the salt on" until it leaves a terrible taste with people.

I am afraid that this group may comprise the majorty of Christians rather than the minority. They never seem to be able to perceive when enough is enough. Just like a chef who cannot perceive when "enough is enough" the end product leaves an unpleasant taste with people and they do not remember the experience as one they would have any desire to repeat.

3. The rare "Master Chef" has learned to recognize when some salt is needed and also to recognize when a moment has been sufficiently seasoned with the love of Christ and they are content to leave it as is because they understand that any more would be too much.

There 2 very important points in this area of discussion.

First we need to ability to recognize when there is a need for salt. Many times we find ourselves in a moment that a good or kind word would be a great help but sometimes the moment goes unnoticed. You have to make an effort to be aware of those moments that occur in nearly every day of our lives where someone around you reveals a distress that they, or someone they know, is going through.

Look for those moments. Realize they are there. Then interject a little wisdom, a little hope, a little joy into the moment. Just enough to brighten things up and make things a little better. Just season the moment with the hope that you know but don't try make the entire moment a "salt" moment. Take the opportunity and season it enough to make a difference.

Secondly... Know when to stop. Oh for someone who can realize when they have stopped doing good and have begun to undo the good that they had accomplished in the first few minutes. Like a chef that doesn't when to stop adding salt (My wife would say that this describes me in the kitchen) a wonderful thing can be completely undone with just a few extra shakes of the salt shaker.

Someone who has never tasted salt will realize that something is missing when they go on with their lives without it after having tasted it once. They will hunger for that something that seems to be missing since they first tasted a lightly seasoned dish that they had eaten for years and thought it was just perfect.

Do you want to reach people for Christ?

Interject small tastes of His love, His mercy, His wisdom into peoples lives as you see the opportunities present themselves.

Pay close attention and stop before what you are trying to share becomes overbearing to them. It is also important to remember that not everyone has the same taste and you will have to treat every situation differently and cater it to each person and their tolerance level. Make the moment fitting to their taste so that it is a fond memory.

Realize when you have overdone it or missed an opportunity so that you can learn from that experience and begin to hone your skills toward that of a "Master Chef" who finds himself/herself daily touching peoples lives with a savor that it might not have known before bumping into you.

It is not a hard process nor is it a complicated process but it is something that we have to commit ourselves to as we constantly strive to improve our ability to touch the lives of those around us and, in the process, plant seeds of desire for that something special that you were able to share with them in some appropriate moment that you shared.

So don't keep the salt of the earth that we are supposed to be to yourself.

At the same time don't be a salt block either by being a constant source of overwhelming opinion.

Be balanced and careful so that you leave a lingering memory of something very wise, stable and refreshing that will call to them again someday.

"Ye are the salt of the earth"