| “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing” (Matthew 5:13). |
| We are all familiar with salt, for it is a necessary part of our diet, and is important for the health of our bodies. Salt makes many kinds of food taste better, and has played an important role in the history of this world. Wars have been won or lost based on the availability of salt, for before the invention of refrigeration, armies needed salt to preserve food, and to support their horses and cattle. The availability of salt was a factor in both the American revolutionary war and the American civil war. The ancient Romans used salt on green leafy things that they ate, and often paid their soldiers with salt. For this reason the English words “salad” and “salary” come from the root word for salt. |
| But salt was also used as a punishment, for salt makes the land unable to grow crops. If saltwater from the sea washes onto farmland, it is useless for one year. If conquered people rebelled against the Romans, they would sow their fields heavily with salt. This made them unable to grow food for three years, and served as a harsh reminder not to rebel again. |
| In the Word of God, salt speaks of holy grace. It is a preservative, and speaks of the grace and goodness of God, but always in a holy and pure way. For this reason the Lord says that believers are the salt of the earth. We are left here to show both the grace and the holiness of God. Many people may not read the Bible, but they should be able to see God’s character in you and me as Christians. |
| It is possible even for true Christians to lose that savor, and not to be the salt of the earth. In that case, the Lord asks, How will you season it? It is good for nothing, for you cannot season food with it, and to throw in on the land only makes the land infertile. So it is with unfaithful Christians. They do not feel comfortable with faithful Christians, and if they go out with the world, their consciences bother them there too. They do not feel comfortable anywhere. How important it is to be real salt that has an effect on others! |
